So Much For My Happy Ending
by phxwriter
Summary: After a profound meeting with the Slayer, Dean makes the ultimate sacrifice to spare her in the looming Apocalypse.
1. Chapter 1

**So Much for My Happy Ending**

Summary: After a profound meeting with the Slayer, Dean makes the ultimate sacrifice to spare her in the looming Apocalypse.

Rating: PG-13

Spoiler warning: Based around episodes S3 "The Kids Are Alright", "Dream a Little Dream of Me" and S5 "99 Problems" and other snippets of episodes listed in the A/N

Timeline: Several years after "Chosen" and SPN seasons noted above

**Ch. 1 Unexpected Developments**

Cicero, Indiana

Buffy sucked in a breath and wiped her face clean of perspiration as she finished up her run through her new neighborhood. After moving into the town almost a week ago, she was just now settling into the quaint, suburban neighborhood in a gated community. She never pictured herself living in such a quiet town but until a few months ago, she was forced into retirement and, per Dawn's gripings, not to mention the entire gang, pressured her into moving as far from the Cleveland Hellmouth as possible.

She took pause as she noticed a group of police cars outside a house, along with a bevy of onlookers gathered around. As her instinct sparked, she casually jogged over and squeezed through a crowd to see an eight foot ladder on an area of lawn cordoned off by police tape. She eyed an older redheaded woman carrying a deeply distressed expression.

"Hey um, I'm new to the neighborhood," Buffy said. "What's going on here?"

The redheaded woman shook her head in sadness.

"Well, sorry for such a horrible way to come into the neighborhood. I'm Dana Sugarman, three doors down from the Yales."

Dana glanced at the house in question. Buffy watched as two medics wheeled a body draped with a sheet into a coroner's van.

"Rob Yale, poor guy, he was patching up the shingles on his roof when his foot slipped. Fell to his death. Just horrible," Dana moaned.

"Oh so, uh, it was an accident?"

Dana nodded. "A tragic accident."

Buffy glanced at the front door as a uniformed officer walked out, escorted by a dark haired woman and her daughter, about eight years old.

"Poor gals," Dana moped. "That's Carrie and her daughter Libby. I can't imagine what they're going through."

Dana dipped her eyes as she parted from the crowd and went back to her house. Buffy hitched her head up over the rest of the onlookers, drawn by the expression on Libby's face. Libby stood under her mother's arms with a blank look as the coroner's van drove away.

Buffy stepped out of the crowd as the neighbors gossiped around her.

"I'm going to ban my husband from using ladders," one woman said. "That's the second ladder related accident in two weeks."

Buffy perched on the curb when she heard this.

"Yeah, I'm not going to let my husband do any home improvement projects," the woman's friend said. "It's like a sign that an accident will happen."

Buffy ambled across the street and blew out a deep breath as a groan rattled in her throat. She knew better than to believe two deaths in the same neighborhood were just accidents.

"So much for the safest city in America," she moaned softly as she jogged out of the neighborhood.

All of her Slayer instincts were urging her to sneak back to the Yales' resident after sunset and investigate clues to verify whether Rob's death really was just an accident or something more. She blew out a deep breath as she pushed her feet forward. She had been out of hunting for four months, but after eight years of fighting evil, it wasn't as easy to live her life now without poking her nose back into the demon business.

But Dawn, Giles, Willow and just about everyone back in Cleveland forbid her from ever stepping foot into the supernatural world again. Willow had found a rental house in the community of Cicero, which had a relatively low crime rate involving strictly petty thefts over the course of twelve years. The gang had put together the first six months of rent and moved Buffy out in a matter of days. She had fought tooth and nail about being so far away from her friends and the life she had become accustomed to but Giles insisted she had to focus on a new path.

Though she was immensely proud that the gang had a handle on just about any new outbreak of evil on the Hellmouth or in the world for that matter, she missed the fervent chatter sprung by the latest demon attack, all the little things she had taken for granted, especially having company. She hadn't yet made too many friends since moving in but all the neighbors who welcomed her had been very helpful. She had even been invited to a backyard barbecue thrown by her next door neighbor Trisha who had a six year old son.

Buffy stopped jogging and quenched her heavy thirst with a long sip of water. Feeling a grumbling in her belly, she dug into a little sack strapped around her waist and ate a banana as she headed back to her neighborhood.

She stopped off at an internet café and ordered two bowls of fruit with yogurt and juice. As she perused the internet for several minutes, she noticed a headline reading: MAN DIES IN FREAK ACCIDENT. She clicked on the article and quickly skimmed the contents.

"Oh great," she groaned softly. "Accidental death by power saw, yeah right."

Buffy gulped when a college aged guy eyed her with an odd expression. She blew a deep sigh and shook her head.

Dean breezed into the diner where Sam was settled at a table in the corner. He whistled under his breath with a skip in his step as he wandered over to Sam. Sam straightened in his seat and fumbled with his phone.

"Uh, you know what, I changed my mind, bye."

Sam quickly hung up drawing an odd look from Dean.

"What was that all about?"

Sam shifted awkwardly in his seat.

"I was um, calling out for...Chinese food."

Dean deepened his perplexed expression.

"Chinese food...even though you're sitting in a diner..."

"Yeah, um, I just felt in the mood for Chinese."

Dean stared at Sam for a minute before he broke into a silly grin.

"I know what you mean," he said. "Sometimes a good Chinese just satisfies that appetite."

Dean threw Sam a wink as he sank into a seat.

"Anyways, I think I got a case."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, small town in Indiana, called Cicero. Word broke this morning of a man that took a tumble into a circular saw."

"That's a case? Sounds more like a freak accident."

Dean shrugged with a casual look. "Yeah but when in our experience is something just an 'accident."

"True but...it still sounds a lot like 'just' an accident."

"Alright, alright, so there's more than just a possible case in Cicero."

"Like what?"

Sam took in the goofy smirk on his brother's face and rolled his eyes.

"Do I even want to know?"

"Mmm, remember when you were in Orlando with dad – I think it was eight years or so ago? You know, he was working that case with the banshee but I went off on my own?"

"Um, the road trip across five states..."

"Yeah, except I kind of made a long pit stop in Cicero with this hot ass yoga teacher – so you know, she was bendy in ALL kinds of ways man. Lisa Braeden. I've never forgotten about her."

Sam flashed an incredulous look at Dean.

"Are you serious? You want to drive five hundred miles just to see a girl you hooked up with eight years ago?"

"I don't want to just see her," Dean implied. "Well, I do want to SEE her. But yeah man, it's on my bucket list so come on, be sympathetic."

Sam shook his head.

"How long is this list of yours? Seems like it grows everyday," he groaned.

Dean shrugged with a bright smile. "I don't know. I keep discovering things I want to do...or 'redo' anyway."

He chuckled for a long minute as his mind drifted into the past.

"God, Lisa, so yogatastic," he cheered.

Eight hours later, as the sun peeked out of the sky, Dean pulled into the parking lot of a motel and eyed Sam.

"Keep yourself busy Sam," he said. "I know I'll be."

Dean raced away leaving Sam's protests in the dust.

A short time later, after seeing a realty sign posted in front of the last known address he had on Lisa, Dean stopped into a coffee shop, his face heavy with disappointment. As a nerdy guy in his late twenties, filled his order, Dean rapped on the counter when a thought rolled through his mind. He glanced at the guy's nametag.

"Say, Martin, you lived here long?"

Martin, adjusted his eggshell glasses and straightened the collar of his button down shirt.

"My whole life," Martin said in a nasally town.

"You know the residents in this town?"

Martin eyed Dean suspiciously.

"I mean, a small town like this, everyone must know everyone, right?" Dean asked with a friendly smile.

"Yes," Martin answered flatly.

Dean sparked with hope as he leaned on the counter.

"Cool, so, I happened to pass by Lisa Braeden's house and saw the realty sign. Do you know if she moved like down the street or somewhere else around here?"

"Who?"

"Uh, Lisa Braeden, you know, really hot brunette with a stretchy..."

Dean choked under Martin's assessing glare.

"Uh, I mean, she used to have a yoga studio on Hill Street."

"Oh, okay, yes, I think you mean Lisa Jackson," Martin clarified as he rang up the coffee.

Dean raised an eyebrow as he fished out his wallet.

"Jackson? Uh, are you sure dude? She wasn't the uh, white dress type, not from what I remember at least."

Martin studied Dean for a long minute.

"Yes, I'm sure, she ran a yoga studio and now she's a soccer mom, like many in this town."

Dean widened his eyes in surprise. "Uh, seriously dude, are we talking about the same woman? Brunette, fit, smokin' hot."

Martin glared at Dean with immense suspicion.

"Why are you asking?" Martin asked sharply.

"I'm the uh, President of the Alumni Committee, I was passing through this town and wanted to make sure she had the latest newsletter and an invitation to the reunion coming up next month," Dean covered with an exaggerated seriousness. "I take my position very seriously. Don't want anyone in my class to feel left out you know?"

Dean forced out a laugh as Martin broke his suspicious glare.

"She moved," Martin said flatly.

"Oh, whereabouts?"

"Milwaukee," Martin said.

"Milwaukee? Oh, wow, that's quite far from here," Dean said. "I could have sworn the address I had was still current."

Martin shrugged. "It was a sudden move, her mother in law took ill, needs home care, she moved out with her family to help. Saw the truck last week."

Dean blew out a breath and flashed an incredulous look.

"Mother in law? So...she got married?"

"Yes, I said that earlier, she's Lisa Jackson now, been for a couple years, married to Devon Jackson. Ben wasn't too happy about leaving his friends."

"Ben?"

"Lisa's son," Martin stated.

Dean nearly fell over from the wave of stunning revelations.

"She has a kid too? Uh, wow, guess it really has been a long time."

"Thanks Martin, you've been a big help," Dean said. "I'll inform the committee of the old address and maybe I'll do some sightseeing while I'm here."

"Well, you might want to avoid Orchard Street, it's blocked off by police due to all the crazy stuff going on in Morning Hill."

Dean feigned a clueless look.

"Crazy stuff, like what?"

"String of bad luck I guess, guy had an accident with a power saw," Martin stated.

"Oh, yeah, I read about that, pretty freaky huh? But what do you mean by string?"

Martin shrugged as a huge line formed at the counter, drawing his attention away from Dean. A few minutes later, Dean strolled back to his car and headed over to the gated community of Morning Hill

After parking a few blocks away, Dean noticed a neighborhood sign for the Morning Hill community. There were no police units outside the gates and he was surprised to see the main entrance wide open. He ambled down a paved road and heard music echoing in the air. He inhaled the aroma of sweet juicy burgers and lit up with a smile. He noticed practically the entire neighborhood milling around one house in particular. When he saw people holding plates of burgers and hot dogs and chips, he started salivating. He eyed the open front door of the house and saw two young guys talking to someone.

"We're with Jim, you know Jim?"

The woman in the doorway grinned and stepped inside to let the two guys inside.

Dean noticed an open gate leading to a backyard. He acted casual as he roamed down a path into a backyard where a pool party was going on with several adults and kids scattered in lounge chairs.

A young mother eyed him curiously as he flashed a charming smile.

"Hi there," he said.

"I haven't seen you in the neighborhood," the mom said with a suspicious look.

"Oh, I'm with Jim, you know Jim?"

The mom nodded in acknowledgment.

"Yeah, he's got so many friends. Well, there's plenty to eat, help yourself."

Dean flashed his winning smile.

"Thanks, I will."

He headed for a table loading with food and piled stuff on a paper plate. Since his weekend plans had hit an unexpected bump in the road, he might as well enjoy a little party before he snooped around the neighborhood.

"Oh Buffy, you look really cute," Trish said with a smile.

Buffy drew a sheepish look as she smoothed out her billowy tank top. Since Trish was the only one she knew at this neighborhood barbecue, she had practically clung to her in the kitchen as they ate.

"You are REALLY being kind Trish," Buffy moaned.

Trish giggled as she put a hand on Buffy's shoulder.

"No, I'm being honest. Don't be so self-conscious."

"How can I not be, I'm like the biggest girl here."

Trish shook her head as Buffy adjusted her skirt.

"Does this top make me look fat?"

"No, it makes you look pregnant," Trish stated.

Trish smiled before her face fell with concern.

"Annette? Oh, I'm so glad you decided to come."

Buffy glanced at the young woman carrying a very sullen expression. Trish draped an arm around Annette and flashed her sympathy.

"Did you bring Katie?"

"No, I...she didn't want to come," Annette answered.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" Trish asked.

Annette shook her head.

"I don't know...I...I tried to get Katie to come to the party, get her out of the house but she refused, she just wanted to stay there and...it's just really weird. She never turns down a pool party...I think...she's acting a little off."

"Well, she's dealing with a lot, losing her father."

"I don't think that's what's going on," Annette stated. "She's not herself. I really think she's...not even my daughter."

Buffy paused in her chewing when she heard this. She tried to focus on the kids splashing around in the pool outside while she eavesdropped. Trish clutched Annette in comfort.

"This is a horrible thing for a family to go through and your mind must be in a fog," Trish said. "Come and get some sunshine and air."

Trish led Annette toward the patio doors. She looked behind her at Buffy.

"Help yourself to anything in the fridge Buffy. I've got juice and milk."

Buffy nodded as she glanced at Annette. Something about her expression sent shivers through her spine.

Dean chomped down happily on a burger as he took in the cheerful environment. He picked up another burger and dropped it on his plate, licking the melted cheese on his fingers as two young mothers wandered up to the drink station beside him.

"Do you think Carrie will show up?"

"I wouldn't think so, she's still pretty shaken up over Rob's death. Can you believe it? What are the chances that both Rob and David slipped on a ladder and fell to their deaths?"

Dean blinked in surprise as the two moms continued to converse. He focused on picking through an assortment of snack foods while eavesdropping.

"I know, it's like there's an omen in this neighborhood."

Dean widened his eyes as he stuffed a chip in his mouth.

"I'm considering moving away, I mean after that incident with Jill, I can't even go near water, I'm barely able to be this close to the pool without wanting to run away in fright."

"I know, the whole neighborhood is shaken up. I really hope this is the last tragedy."

The two moms wandered away leaving Dean to stew in the suspicious plot of information. After a minute to process it all, he casually wandered into the house to find a bathroom. When he breezed through the patio doors leading into a kitchen, he caught sight of a heavenly blonde spying into a refrigerator. She was like a delicious teasing puzzle, since the fridge door blocked his view of her body. But he ogled the tan luscious legs peeking out of skirt and the golden locks of her long hair falling around the door. He hadn't seen her in the backyard with the rest of the folks and wondered why she had been hiding herself from him.

Dean sauntered over with a wide smirk as the blonde girl began gathering items from the fridge shelves into her arms.

"You got all the fixings for a tasty meal," he cracked.

Buffy blinked in shock when she heard the low lilt of a male voice addressing her. Her eyes shifted to her right to take in a handsome young dark blonde guy with a leather jacket and a sexy smile that screamed 'bad boy to the max'. After the momentary lapse in thought, she broke from her daze and realized he wasn't at all looking at the various food items in her arms but instead, hooking her with that penetrating gaze.

"You got to be kidding me," she groaned.

Dean shrugged as he widened his smile. She looked fantastic from a few feet away and even more delicious up close.

"Okay, if you insist, I will tease you senselessly," he quipped with a wink.

Buffy rolled her eyes as she kicked the fridge door close and put the food on the counter.

Dean widened his eyes in astonishment when he noticed the little blonde was carrying a bump beneath a lavender tank top. He cleared his throat as he felt his cheeks flooded with awkwardness.

"Uh, wow, you're...a mom to be."

Buffy pried off a plastic container and glared at the cocky young guy with an annoying smile.

"Gee, nice deduction Einstein," she snapped.

Dean shifted uncomfortably in his stance as he shaded with a sheepish look.

"I uh, had no idea."

Buffy deepened her annoyed glare as she put various fruits and veggies on her plate.

"Well that's because not many guys like you bother 'thinking' before they open their big mouth," she said sharply.

Dean stared at the blonde in complete awe before he cracked into a smile.

"Wow, you're quite the feisty cat, aren't you?"

"Move it along Casanova, I'm not buying what you're trying to sell me," Buffy groaned.

Buffy huffed as she widened her eyes in disbelief.

"I mean seriously, does that line actually WORK?"

Dean blinked in more awe as the little blonde's intimidating glare sent a blast of heat through his body. Buffy snorted at his apparent speechlessness.

"What? Can't find your way passed a pick up line?"

Dean cleared his throat again as the weight of her glare started cracking through him.

"Uh well, I never really have to go beyond it," he boasted.

Buffy groaned in her throat as she rolled her eyes and clutched her plate of food. She snatched up her bottle of juice and threw Dean an aggravating look as she took off through the patio doors. Dean stared at the hot blonde in deep wonder as she shimmied off into the backyard.

"Wow, that is one hot momma," he cheered softly.

After hearing his statement out loud, he looked around the kitchen feeling slightly self-conscious about lusting after someone else's baby momma.

Buffy settled into a lounge chair and tried to shrug off Mr. Annoyingly Sexy when a woman with curly dark hair wandered over to her with a friendly smile.

"Buffy? Hi, I'm Rhonda, Trish told me you just moved in and I just wanted to welcome you."

"Hi Rhonda, thanks."

Rhonda shined a smile as she glanced at her belly.

"Congratulations by the way, how far along are you?"

"Um, seventeen weeks."

"Oh, well I hope you're not planning on being around any tools or doing home improvement projects because I'd hate to see a mom to be fall into this wave of bad luck."

Buffy took a long sip of her drink as she felt her Slayer instinct blistering in her gut.

"Um, bad luck?"

Rhonda shifted her eyes around and pulled up a lounge chair close to Buffy in a discreet manner.

"Yeah, it's been so nerve wracking the past few weeks, I'm sure you heard about the Rob Yale's ladder accident."

"Oh, yeah, I think Trish mentioned that."

"Well, a week before you moved here, Jill Meyers had a terrible accident in her Jacuzzi, radio fell in and electrocuted her."

Buffy swallowed her dread as she added the 'accident' to the others she had uncovered in her research.

"Oh my gosh, that is horrible," she said.

"And I'm sure you heard about Katie's dad and the power saw," Rhonda lamented. "So I wouldn't hold it against you if you changed your mind about living here."

Buffy caught sight of Mr. Annoyingly Sexy wandering out of the house and over to the food table. She frowned as Rhonda drew her attention.

"So exercise caution," Rhonda advised. "That baby of yours is precious."

Dean helped himself to another plate of food as he glanced around the yard. He recognized one of the mothers that had been gossiping earlier near him and caught her eyes. She studied him for a minute before refilling her cup with punch.

"I'm with Jim."

The mother nodded.

"Say, my sister...Sam, is thinking about buying some property in this community, is this a safe place to live?"

The mother nodded with a friendly smile. "Relatively safe I'd say, well, except for the past few weeks with, you know, all the unlucky people doing home projects around here."

"Oh uh, I think I heard someone say something about a ladder accident."

The mother shrouded a look of sadness. "Yeah, it was terrible. Two ladder accidents in a row and before that Jill..."

"Jill?"

"Jill's accident in the Jacuzzi."

"Accident...in a Jacuzzi...wow."

The mother rattled off the details as Dean took notice of hot momma sitting with another woman in deep conversation. Feeling his lower body burning with a fever, he cleared his throat and shifted his eyes back on the mother.

"Electrocuted? Geez."

After another minute, the mother wandered away. Dean swallowed his last bite and set his plate aside, feeling the stirrings of a solid case shaping together. He headed out of the yard and back to his car.

A short time later, Dean drifted through the door of the motel as Sam regarded him.

"Hey," Sam grumbled.

"Hey, so it turns out there actually is a case here."

"Seriously?" Sam asked in disbelief.

"Seriously," Dean said.

Sam put his notes aside.

"So that freaky saw accident in the news? Well, that was just one of a handful of freaky accidents, four to be exact that never hit the press but it's gotten the Morning Hill residents all rattled. The home improvement store is seeing an influx of retail returns of power tools, ladders anything with the potential to make someone croak. On top of that, a lot of the residents are draining their Jacuzzis."

"Jacuzzis?"

"Yeah, there was an incident last week where a woman 'accidentally' knocked a radio into hers and got fried to bits."

"Strange," Sam remarked.

"I know," Dean acceded. "There is definitely more going on behind those gates than just 'accidental' deaths by power tools."

Sam studied his brother and noticed a familiar spark in his eyes.

"I probably shouldn't even ask about um...your blast from the past."

Dean shifted into a brief mope. "Oh, right, yeah, she had a kid, shacked up with some guy and moved out of this town a week ago for some family emergency."

Dean heaved a deep sigh of disappointment as Sam shook his head.

"Well um...sorry, I guess," Sam said.

Dean lit up with a smile when he remembered the batch of cookies he had snaked before he left. He took a few out and stuffed them in his mouth.

"Yeah, that was a total buzz kill, at least I got to drown my sorrows in a plateful of burgers and tasty treats..."

"What?"

"There was some kind of neighborhood party going on to distract everyone from the string of so called accidents."

"You crashed a party?"

Dean shrugged as he bit into another cookie.

"Yeah dude, the whole damn community was out and my belly was badly aching for something tasty."

Sam groaned when he saw Dean pump his eyebrows in suggestiveness.

"So since I couldn't have that, I settled for the awesome barbecue with food aplenty and...a hot...mom."

Sam narrowed his eyes on Dean's silly smile.

"Did you say...hot mom?"

"Yeah."

Dean widened his silly smile as Sam shook his head.

"You hit on a mom? Geez Dean. You have no shame."

Dean broke out of his goofy daze and cleared his throat.

"She's not a mom yet," he reasoned.

Sam groaned louder and rolled his eyes.

"Oh come on Sam, I didn't know she was in the family way when I hit on her, to be honest, my brain kind of just went on pause when I saw her."

"And then your big mouth opened," Sam said sardonically.

Dean frowned in protest.

"Hey, that's what that hot baby momma said..."

He shifted back into a goofy grin as the little blonde flashed through his mind.

"And hot she was, damn hot...and feisty too."

Sam balked as he saw Dean widening his goofy grin even more.

"You can't be serious, you're...attracted to a mom to be?"

Dean shook out of his daze when he heard Sam's disapproving tone.

"That's not really wrong is it? I mean, I didn't do anything with her..."

"Dean, that's wrong in all kinds of ways, do I really need to get into HOW a baby is made? I'm sure the baby's father wasn't too pleased to see you sniffing around the mother of his child."

"Baby daddy wasn't around and I didn't see a wedding ring on her finger."

Sam shined his shock. "So...you still want to hook up with her?"

"A girl that hot..." Dean whistled as he fixated on the little blonde. "I would have a mind to try and knock her up too, you know, try and try and try."

Sam shook his head as Dean chuckled deeply. After he finally settled down, he met Sam's disapproving glare.

"So the case..." he said.

"What's our cover?"

Dean shrugged as he peeled off his jacket.

"We'll figure something out," he answered. "I've already schmoozed with the neighbors so I can drop back in again, get to know everyone a little better."

Sam frowned as Dean chuckled in his throat.

"Dean, don't hit on that mom to be, now that we have a legitimate case, you need to stay focused."

"Right," Dean said.

After a long minute of reflecting, he eyed Sam with a sheepish look.

"You really think it's wrong to...you know lust after a baby momma?"

Sam rolled his eyes.

"Well, I'm already going to Hell."

Sam softened with a sad look as Dean heaved a sigh.

"Focus, right," Dean said as he shut the bathroom door.


	2. Chapter 2

Ch. 2 Child's Play

Annette peered inside Katie's room and found her daughter simply cradling a doll and sitting at a small plastic table by the window.

"Katie sweetie, why aren't you ready to go?"

Katie brushed her doll's hair and rocked back on her feet as Annette moved inside the room.

"Honey, come on, we're going to be late for dinner at Trish's house," Annette moaned. "She ordered pizza and we're going to have milkshakes. All your favorites. And you can play a videogame with Travis too if you want."

Annette grabbed Katie's arm. Katie looked up at her mother with eerie eyes.

"I want to play now mommy," she chimed. "Play dolls with me now mommy."

"But we're supposed to have dinner at Trish's."

Katie shook her head and pouted.

"Don't leave me mommy. I want to play."

Katie tugged on her mom's sleeve.

"Sit and play mommy," she urged.

Annette heaved a sigh.

"Um, okay just for a little bit though and then we should go to Trish's."

Katie shook her head as she placed another doll on the table.

"I don't want to go, I want to stay."

"But...she's expecting us and...you love pizza and milkshakes."

Katie stared at her mom with a spooky look.

"Play."

Annette veiled her concern as she took the doll from Katie.

"Okay, we'll um play."

Trish sighed after she hung up the phone. She shuffled over to Travis seated at the kitchen table and rubbed the top of his tawny haired head.

"It's just going to be you and me for dinner sweetie," she said. "Katie and her mom aren't coming. More pizza for you huh?"

Trish smiled as Travis meticulously picked off all the pepperoni on his pizza slice. Trish frowned with bewilderment as she looked at the pile he had formed on the side of his plate.

"What's wrong babe? I thought pepperoni was your favorite."

"I want cheese pizza," Travis pouted.

"But...you always want pepperoni," Trish moaned.

"I want cheese pizza," Travis repeated.

Trish heaved a sigh and began picking off all the pepperoni slices. She gave him a new slice.

"Is that good baby?"

Travis grinned and ate a bite. "You're the mommy in the whole world!"

"Your dad is going to be here in about a half hour."

"I don't want to go with daddy."

"But this is his weekend," Trish pointed. "He's going to take you a baseball game and you guys are going to eat hot dogs and stuff. It's going to be a lot of fun for you."

"I want to be with you mommy. I love you."

Travis threw his arms around his mommy.

"Well, I love you too sweetie but your dad is expecting you."

"I don't want to go mommy. Please don't make me go," Travis cried. "I just want to be with you."

Travis stroked his mommy's hair and clutched her tighter.

A half hour later, Trish answered the door with Travis at her side. Travis buried his head in his mom's hip as she addressed his father.

"Hey buddy, ready to go?"

"I tried to call you but kept getting voicemail," Trish noted.

"What's up?"

"Travis isn't feeling up to going this weekend."

After a quick stop at the corner mart a few blocks outside the main gates, Buffy made her way back through her neighborhood, carrying two plastic bags full of groceries. She perched beside her mailbox and pulled the lid open, stuffing the stack of mail in one of the bags. She noticed Trish talking to her ex outside her house.

Buffy drew a hand to acknowledge Trish until she noticed her and her ex exchanging words with tense expressions. Little Travis had his head buried in Trish's hip as his parents continued their conversation.

"Make daddy go away mommy," Travis said.

"Travis buddy, don't you want to spend the weekend with me? I got all kinds of fun boy stuff for us to do."

Travis backed up behind his mother and shook his head.

"Make him go away mommy," Travis pleaded.

Garrett Wilson drew a stern frown and reached behind Trish to gently take Travis.

"No! Mommy! I don't want to go!"

"Travis, stop it!" Garrett said. "You know I get you every other weekend. You're practically flying out the door when I come to pick you up so what's going on?"

"I don't feel good mommy," Travis moaned.

Trish patted his forehead. "You don't have a fever."

"I want to lie down. I don't feel good."

Trish sighed as she regarded her ex.

"If he doesn't want to go, you can't exactly force him," she remarked.

Garrett shined his disappointment as he studied his son.

"I don't understand," he replied. "When I dropped him off two weekends ago he kept telling me how excited he was about seeing me again. Is something going on at school?"

"Mommy, I feel sick."

"Go upstairs to bed honey and I'll be right up."

Travis shook his head as he tugged on Trish's shirt sleeve.

"Mommy come with me," he moaned. "Please mommy."

Trish heaved a sigh as Travis continued tugging on her sleeve.

"We'll have to talk later," Trish said. "You can have the next two weekends if you want. Sorry."

Travis yanked Trish away from the door.

"Maybe he'll be feeling up to it tomorrow, I'll swing by after breakfast."

Trish nodded before she closed the door.

Buffy settled all her groceries away and fished out the large stack of mail from the empty bag. As she munched on an after dinner snack, she sifted through the pile of mail and noticed several pieces were meant for another address. She glanced at the time as she collected the wrong mail and breezed out of her house. She walked two doors down and rapped on the door. After a minute, the front door cracked open.

"Marla Freeman? Um, hi I'm Buffy, I live two doors down from you and I got some of your mail by accident."

Marla slumped against the doorway as Buffy held out the stack of mail.

"Thank you," Marla said softly, not meeting her eyes.

Buffy shifted awkwardly in her stance, trying to make conversation. She was trying her best to make friends with all the moms in the neighborhood but the wave of 'bad luck' accidents over the past few weeks, all the residents were extremely shaky.

"You have a little one, um, a daughter right?"

Marla eyed her suspiciously as Buffy impulsively clutched her belly.

"Yes, Christianne," Marla answered.

"Oh, that's a pretty name," Buffy said with a smile. "So um, could you recommend any good daycares in the..."

Marla stepped back into the doorway.

"Thank you for bringing the mail. I have to go."

"Oh um, sure. Well, it was nice to meet..."

Marla shut the door, leaving Buffy to absorb her neighbor's distant behavior. Buffy heaved a sigh as she ambled off the porch. She paused on the walkway when she felt a familiar tingling in her belly. She swung her sights around and looked up to see a little raven haired girl staring down at her from the second floor window.

Buffy shivered from Christianne's eerie expression as the little girl's stare lingered. When Marla appeared in the doorway of the bedroom, Christianne retreated from the window.

Buffy frowned as she slowly pivoted back toward her house.

"Can I sleep in here mommy?" Travis asked as he stepped into Trish's bedroom.

Trish studied her son as he clutched his blanket. She finished her last glass of wine and set it down on the bedside table.

"Um, sure baby."

Travis grinned and raced over, climbing onto the bed. He curled up next to Trish and hugged her.

"I love you so much mommy."

"I love you too sweetie."

Trish flashed an appreciative smile at Travis as he pet her shoulder.

"If you feel better tomorrow, daddy is still going to take you for the weekend, okay?"

Travis frowned and shook his head.

"I want to stay with you mommy. I don't want daddy."

"But baby, he's your daddy and he loves you and wants to spend time with you. You've been splitting weekends with him for some time now."

Travis hugged his mom tightly.

"Daddy's mean, he doesn't let me stay up like you do! I don't want to go with him! Please don't make me go!"

Trish sighed at his odd behavior.

"I want to sleep now," he said.

"Uh, okay, sweetie."

"You sleep too mommy," Travis said as he stroked her cheek with a wide smile. "Sleep mommy."

Trish folded down onto her bed as Travis curled up next to her. A short while later, Travis opened his eyes and pulled the curtain of hair over Trish's neck. He grinned wide before leaning in and sinking his teeth into the flesh.

The next morning, on her way back home from her brisk walk, Buffy instinctively paused across the street from the Yales' house and watched Carrie and Libby playing in the side yard for a few minutes. She felt the odd flurry in her belly as she studied Libby shining a creepy smile at her mom.

There was something definitely off about that girl.

Dawn Summers flew out of the bus and darted down several blocks. She charged up to her sister's house and rapped furiously on the door for several minutes.

"Buffy! It's me, let me in!"

Dawn continued knocking incessantly and ringing the doorbell when an older woman with red hair sauntered up the walkway carrying a basket of cookies.

"Well hello," the woman said.

Dawn stopped knocking and swung around. She looked the lady over who flashed a friendly smile.

"Do you know the lady of the house?"

Dawn huffed as she hitched her head up.

"She's my sister. Who are you?"

"I'm Lora, with Cicero Realty. I just wanted to check in with our newest resident, make sure she's happy with the house. I've come by a couple of times but it seems your sister is quite the busy girl, always out."

Dawn knocked on the door a few more times before she heaved a sigh of anxiety.

"Do you know when I might be able to catch her?"

Dawn threw an irritated frown at the realtor.

"No, I don't. I just got here," she moaned.

"Okay, well please give her this for me then and tell her I'll stop in again. I'm so anxious to speak with her," Lora remarked emphatically.

Dawn cradled the cookie basket as Lora shined a smile and wandered off. After watching the realtor disappear down the block, Dawn circled around the house and hopped the fence to the yard.

Buffy waited for Libby to disappear into the house before she crossed the street and approached Carrie, crouched over a small sandbox in the yard. She pried a friendly smile over her face as Carrie took notice of her.

"Hey, I'm Buffy, I live down the block," she said. "I was out for my morning exercise, thought I'd stop by and introduce myself and um..."

Buffy shifted into a sympathetic expression.

"Give you my condolences."

Carrie assessed her for a long minute before nodding.

"Thank you," Carrie said softly.

Buffy kept an eye on the side gate where Libby had disappeared behind.

"Um, I was going to grab some juice and a bagel at that corner shop, would you like to join me?"

"I can't. Thank you."

Carrie got to her feet and rubbed the back of her neck, wincing slightly.

"You okay?" Buffy asked.

Carrie nervously staggered back a few steps, dropping her hand at her side.

"Um, yeah. I have to go."

Carrie hurriedly turned around toward the side gate. Buffy caught sight of a strange red welt on her neck peeking out from behind Carrie's ponytail.

Buffy reached a hand out and gently took Carrie by the wrist.

"Um, maybe you should take a walk around the block. Get a little more air."

Carrie yanked her wrist out of Buffy's hold and shrouded a frown of suspicion.

"I need to get back to my daughter."

Buffy absorbed the deep flare of dread in Carrie's eyes.

"Are you sure?"

Carrie deepened her frown.

"Yes, it's time for her...I have to go."

Carrie charged back into her house and shut the door. Buffy blew out a deep breath as her stomach grumbled.

"Weird kids, weird moms and a whole lot of 'accidental deaths," she muttered softly as she reluctantly wandered away.

Trish stumbled out of bed when she heard the doorbell chiming several times. She pressed a hand to her head, feeling groggy and strange as she shuffled into the hallway. She peeked inside Travis' room and found him playing his video game. She went downstairs and answered the door to see Garrett standing on the porch.

Trish leaned in the doorway, feeling an onslaught of dizziness as her eyes hung heavy with fatigue.

"Travis ready to go?"

Trish winced as the dizziness spell lingered.

"Um, I don't know."

Garrett heaved a sigh of frustration as he squeezed by Trish and went upstairs. Trish slowly trudged up the stairs as Travis let out a wail.

"No, I don't want to go!"

"Travis please, you're acting really strange buddy," Garrett said.

Travis flew over to Trish and gripped her legs.

"Mommy I don't want to leave you."

Trish steadied her balance as she rubbed the back of her neck.

"Baby, daddy is going to take you for the weekend. I promise you you're going to have a lot of fun. I'll see you on Sunday night."

Travis shook his head. "I want to stay with you. We can play video games and cars."

"We played all day yesterday and last night. Mommy is tired. Go with daddy now."

Travis looked up at his mommy.

"My tummy hurts."

Trish shivered as her little boy stared up at her.

"I'll get you something for it."

Travis clung to Trish. Garrett heaved a sigh.

"Maybe he's going through a phase," he moaned. "Okay, alright, I guess I'll have to put off these plans for another weekend. But I'd still like to take him out for lunch and go to the park with him this afternoon?"

Trish nodded. "Yeah, that's fine."

Garrett glanced at his watch.

"Okay, I've got some stuff I can do for a few hours. I'll be back."

Garrett let himself out.

"Orange juice mommy," Travis stated.

Trish glanced at the car mirror and widened her eyes when she saw Travis' arms covered in strange grayish veins. She gasped softly as she staggered a few steps from the boy. She looked him over and then glanced back in the mirror, seeing no veins.

"Orange juice mommy," Travis said with a smile.

When she got back to her block, Buffy lingered on the walkway when saw Marla and Christianne exiting the front door. Christianne skipped down the driveway and waited by the backseat door of an SUV. Marla dragged behind as she locked the front door.

Buffy watched the SUV pull out of the driveway and disappear around the corner. She hurriedly shuffled over to the house and looked around her before she snuck through the back gate. She swept her eyes along the yard and the exterior of the house, taking notice of a weird red smudge on the upstairs window sill. If she hadn't been in her situation, she wouldn't have thought twice about climbing along the pipes and up to the window to get a better look. Snooping Slayer style was definitely more challenging when you were pregnant.

Buffy heaved a sigh as she didn't see anything else in the exterior of the house that drew alarm. Just as she was about to crack her way inside, she winced when she felt a tightening in her bladder. She shook her head as she retreated back toward the front of the house.

"Sometimes I feel like I'm made of water," she moaned.

When she pushed through her front door, she froze with alarm, hearing a shuffling in her kitchen. She cautiously crept through her house, snatching up a candlestick in her hand as a weapon. She peered inside the kitchen and blew out a breath.

"Dawnie? What are you doing? How did you get in my house?"

Dawn stuffed several cookies in her mouth and scowled at Buffy.

"I came here looking for you to make sure you were okay," Dawn moaned as she removed a news clipping from her pocket. "Death by a power saw in your neighborhood! They're calling it a freak accident."

Buffy pried a casual look over her face. "Oh um yeah, I heard about that. That was really weird."

Dawn deepened her scowl.

"And what about the ladder 'accident' involving the Yales?"

Dawn revealed another strip of newspaper and spread it over the counter.

"That was...just awful too," Buffy said. "But I'm fine, I don't plan on using any power tools so, you could have spared the airfare."

Dawn threw her sister a cynical frown.

"So you think they're just accidents?"

"Well yeah, they're all involving power tools and home improvement projects, so, just a streak of bad luck I guess."

"Oh right, you think I'm stupid Buffy? There is something going on in your town and I know you're probably sniffing."

"What's going on in my town?"

Dawn scoffed deeply.

"Oh come on Buffy. You're the one that always says there is no such thing as coincidence and TWO deaths in the same town in the same month involving tools is NOT a coincidence. There is something bad here and you know it."

Buffy drew an innocent look.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Dawn frowned.

"Oh no?"

Dawn charged into the living room and picked up some sheets of paper from the coffee table.

"What's this then?" she asked as she returned to the kitchen.

"You were snooping around my house?" Buffy asked with an irritated tone.

"I was looking for you and YOU left these out in plain view," Dawn noted. "So...why do you have these?"

Buffy gulped as Dawn flashed several copies of news articles she had printed out at the café. All the articles involved the strange deaths of her neighbors.

"Uh, I was just catching up on local...events."

"Right. Just admit it Buffy, you're snooping around! You're trying to be the Slayer!"

"I AM the Slayer," Buffy clarified.

Dawn shook her head. "You WERE but now you're not. You're carrying my niece or nephew and living in a neighborhood where strange things are going on."

Buffy frowned at Dawn. "Hey, might I remind you that it was you and Willow who practically shoved me into this house?"

Dawn broke from her scowl and drew a deep pout.

"Yeah, I know, that's why I came here; to make sure you weren't snooping cuz you know you can't help it. And I'm here to tell you to just stop it Buffy. Stop being the Slayer."

"All I did was print out a couple of articles," Buffy sighed. "I haven't done any 'snooping'. Now excuse me but the baby is pressing on my bladder and then I'm taking a shower.

Buffy darted up the stairs and disappeared.

"How long is this going to take?" Carrie asked.

Sam straightened his tie and flashed an apologetic smile.

"Not long at all," he stated. "Again, I'm sorry to just drop in without making arrangements with you before hand but my office wanted to expedite the paperwork on your insurance policy asap, and since there were a couple of discrepancies in my colleague's report, they sent me here to just verify a few details. I'll be out of your way in a few minutes."

Carrie nodded as she led Sam to the back yard. She pointed to the ladder still propped against the house.

"That's where it happened."

"Okay, could you tell me what happened exactly?"

Carrie rubbed the back of her neck and sighed.

"Well, he had just finished the last set of shingles and must have slipped on his way down."

"So you weren't present at the time of the accident?"

Carrie shook her head. "No um, I had to run out to the store. My daughter Libby was in her room at the time."

Sam made a scribbling motion on his notepad as he looked around the house. He spotted Libby peeking out the window staring at him with a spooky expression. Sam gave her a friendly smile as she remained still, showing no emotion.

Sam veiled his concern as his eyes drifted from Libby to the bloodspot on the exterior windowsill.

"Well, it looks like I've got everything," he said. "I'll let you get on with your day. Thank you for your time."

Carrie nodded as she swept a lock of hair from her neck and scratched it. Sam noticed the strange red welt on her neck as she drifted into the house.

After showering, Buffy dove into a suitcase and pulled out a few clothing options. She slipped on a pair of black jeans and moaned when she couldn't zip them completely up.

"Ugh," she groaned as she peeled the jeans off and tossed them aside.

She ended up with some cotton tan capris with a cinched tie waistband instead of a zipper. She blew out a breath as she pulled on a mint green peasant top with lacy cap sleeves and a smocked center. Her eyes lit up with satisfaction as she took a quick study of herself in the mirror, turning to examine her profile.

Bree, one of her Slayers had bought her the top as a going away gift and she made a mental note to send a thank you card as her bump wasn't as prominently displayed with most of her other attire. She brushed out her hair as she went downstairs.

"Are you staying for awhile or did you just pop in to slap a ruler on my hand?" Buffy asked as she returned to the kitchen.

"You made a promise to all of us that you weren't going to get your hands dirty in Slayer business anymore," Dawn said.

"I know," Buffy affirmed. "That's why I've stayed out of it. It's just a bunch of freak accidents."

Dawn crossed her arms over her chest as Buffy rubbed her belly.

"You're a mom now Buffy, you have to take care of yourself."

"I know and I am," Buffy remarked. "Now are you staying or what?"

"My bus leaves tomorrow," Dawn said.

"Okay, well, go with me to the park then, we can have lunch and do some shopping."

"Well, okay, where's the bathroom?"

"It's upstairs."

Dawn nodded as Buffy watched her drift upstairs. Buffy pulled on her coat and quickly rummaged through a moving box she hadn't yet sorted away. She fished out a bottle of holy water and a small knife and stuffed them in her pockets.

A short time later, Buffy and Dawn settled at a picnic table in the park. As Dawn ate and gossiped endlessly, Buffy casually shifted her eyes over the kids playing in the park. She watched several mothers collecting their children and ushering them to various isolated areas of the park grounds.

After finishing lunch, Buffy picked up the empty cartons and wandered over to a set of trashcans near a young girl, about seven and her mom.

"We should get going sweetie."

"No I want to play some more. Play with me mommy."

"We've been here since eight this morning honey, we really should go home now."

"Play with me mommy, please," the girl said.

Buffy swallowed the deep chill in her bones from the eerie tone in the little girl's voice.

"I love you so, so much mommy," the girl cooed. "Play with me."

"Okay, five more minutes and then we have to go."

Buffy threw the remainder of cartons in the trash and slowly strolled away. As she neared Dawn, three little girls stared at her with that spooky look.

Dean followed Valerie Bateman around to the back of her house. After a little digging, he learned that Jill Meyers was babysitting Bateman's nine year old daughter when she was killed by freak electrocution.

"What office did you say you were from?" Valerie asked curiously.

"Fort Wayne," Dean said quickly.

"That's a long way to drive just to look at my spa tub," Valerie noted.

"It is but my company really emphasizes one hundred percent customer satisfaction," he remarked. "And with this horrible accident with Miss Meyers, we wanted to make sure we came out ourselves to address the problem."

Valerie perched in the yard and pointed to the emptied Jacuzzi tub. Dean circled the tub and carefully examined it.

"Is there a lot of people involved in um, the lawsuit?" Valerie asked.

Dean glanced over the Jacuzzi briefly before he drew a casual look around the exterior of the property.

"Uh...I'm not really allowed to discuss the pending legal actions against my company ma'am."

"Oh um, right, sorry."

"No problem. So you were out at the time huh?"

Valerie nodded as she hugged herself. "My mother was hospitalized so I had to check on her for a few hours."

"Sorry to hear that."

Dean glanced at the back of the fried radio before he finished up his snooping. He pretended to make a few notes in a file folder.

Buffy yanked a small bag of trash from under the sink and pushed out the side door leading to her yard. Dawn took up behind her, following her with suspicious eyes. Buffy blew out breath as she dumped the trash in the large bin just off her small patio. Dawn glanced over the barren yard devoid of any kind of furniture.

"You haven't done much with place," she groaned.

Buffy rolled her eyes as patted her hands on her stomach.

"Uh, been a little busy with other priorities, but feel free to do something with it if you want," she moaned as she went back inside.

"Mommy, I'm hungry."

"Okay Mandy, I'll be there in one sec, just let me finish this up."

Dean glanced at Mandy standing just outside the patio doors, hugging a teddy bear. He flashed her a friendly smile as Mandy stared at him with cold, vacant eyes.

"I'm hungry mom. Lunch please."

Dean veiled his intense curiosity as Valerie threw him an apologetic look.

"Sorry, are we um, done here?"

Dean absorbed Mandy's spooky glare before he pried a polite smile on his face.

"Yes, thanks for your time."

Valerie shuffled inside with Mandy. Dean paused in the yard and discreetly veered around the side of the house to look around some more. He narrowed his eyes on an upstairs windowsill with a small red smudge. As he edged a little closer his eyes caught view of a familiar face in the house next door. He ambled closer to the dividing fence line and peeked over, peering through a kitchen window. There was the hot baby momma he had run into the previous day digging into a purple shoebox. If he had never seen her before, he never would guessed she was in the family way as the outfit she was wearing disguised her situation.

Dean felt the cracks of his mouth shifting into a giddy smile as he watched the blonde retrieving several small bottles of something and setting them on the counter. When he felt a distinct stirring in his lower body, he widened his eyes and gulped.

"Damn," he muttered. "Stop lusting after the baby momma Dean, stop it...it doesn't matter if she's still hot...god she's hot..."

Dean drank in the sight of the gorgeous blonde before his eyes narrowed on a symbol painted on the small bottles of clear liquid. He widened his eyes in mass surprise.

"Holy water? What the..."

Dean grimaced when he felt a hard knock on the top of his head.

"Ow!"

He backed away from the fence line when he saw a pair of glaring blue eyes through the cracks. He took a few more steps back to see a young teenage girl holding a garden hose with a hard brass spout, a spout she had clocked him over the head with.

"Who are you and why are you peeping into my sister's house huh?"

Dean rubbed the top of his head as he glanced at the teenager, then the blonde in the kitchen window.

"That's your sister?"

"I'll ask the questions PERV unless you want another knock to the head!" she growled.

Dawn edged toward the fence, winding the hose up like a lasso and twirling it over her head, preparing for an aerial strike. Dean threw up his hands.

"Woah, woah woah, there! Just CALM down! I'm not peeping!"

"Then what are you doing huh?"

Dawn continued to twirl the hose above her head, deepening her glare. Dean slowly reached into his pocket and flashed a badge.

"Take it easy Power Puff Girl, I'm FBI okay?"

Dawn glared suspiciously at him as she stopped twirling the hose.

"Come closer so I can see that badge."

"Are you going to hit me again?"

"As long as you don't look at my sister," she warned.

Dean cautiously drew closer to the fence line and displayed his badge. Dawn scrutinized the I.D. for a long moment before she snatched it out of his hand.

"Woah! What are you doing?"

Dawn backed into the yard, away from the fence line to study the badge.

"FBI huh? Does that stand for Female Body Inspector?"

Dean stared at her in wonder before he inadvertently snickered deep in his throat. He struggled to bite back the smile tugging at his mouth.

"No, of course not," he lied.

Dawn waved the badge around.

"Well, you're not who you say you are," she said sharply.

Dean heard voices in the yard and quickly climbed over the fence. Dawn frowned at him as she chucked the badge at his head. He ducked out of the way and flashed her an odd look.

"And just why do you think that huh?"

Dawn hitched her hands on her hips and glowered at him.

"Cuz I know a lie when I hear one! I practically invented lying!"

Dean studied the teenage girl as she held her head high.

"Is that so?"

Dawn thought about her unintentional confession and broke from her glare. She crossed her arms over her chest and raised her head even higher.

"You're a liar cuz you're a guy," she deduced.

"Oh and all guys lie huh?"

"Yeah, they do! Especially the ones that want my sister," she blurted out.

Dawn shifted uncomfortably in her stance at yet another unintentional admission as she quickly pulled the glare back over her face and changed the subject.

"So who are you?" she asked.

Dean glanced through the kitchen window and edged away from it.

"Are you stalking her?"

Dean heaved a sigh at the exasperating teenager.

"No, I'm not here about your sister. I'm just looking into some stuff in this neighborhood, okay? That's all you need to know."

Dawn narrowed her eyes on Dean and took a long assessment of him.

"Those freak accidents that happened? Are you looking into that stuff?"

"What do you know about it?"

"Nothing," Dawn spat. "I don't live here. I just came to check on my sister cuz I read about the freaky saw thing."

"Oh. Well unless your sister has a passion for woodworking or home improvement, I don't think you have much to worry about."

Dean noticed the girl's very subtle break from her frown.

"You worried about something else?"

"No," Dawn lied. "It's none of your business. Now get out of my sister's yard before I call the REAL authorities. PERV."

Dawn ushered Dean through the side of the house and shoved him out the gate.

"Stay away from her," she barked.

Dean scoffed at the teenager's bold behavior as he ambled away from the house.

Buffy heard the front door creaking open and hurriedly stuffed the bottles of holy water in a junk drawer. She feigned a casual look and leaned against the counter as Dawn charged into the kitchen in a huff.

"What's with you?"

"Nothing," Dawn grumbled. "A...stupid squirrel annoyed me."

"A squirrel?"

Dawn nodded.

"Yeah. Haven't you finished unpacking yet?"

Dawn reached for the purple shoebox. Buffy widened her eyes and rushed over, stealing the box from her.

"Uh, no, I haven't really settled everything in yet."

Buffy clutched the shoebox protectively.

"What's that?"

"Nothing...breakables, a LOT of breakables, so...that's why I don't want you touch this box...or that blue one either. You know how you are around precious stuff."

Dawn scoffed. "Me? You were the one who broke Giles' antique Chinese vase, not me."

Buffy rolled her eyes.

"Hey, I used it to kill a demon, he can't still be sore about that."

"Whatever."

"Who did those cookies come from anyway?" Buffy asked eyeing the basket on the island.

"Some annoying realty lady."

"Oh, what did she want?"

"I don't know. She wanted to talk to you. Do you have Coke in here?" Dawn asked as she perused the fridge. "All you have is diet."

"I know," Buffy said. "I got off the sugary beverages awhile ago."

Dawn moped as she shut the fridge door.

"You didn't think to keep some handy?"

"I wasn't expecting company," Buffy pointed flatly. "You could have called to let me know you were going to pop in."

"So you could cover up any evidence that you've been snooping?"

Buffy stifled a deep groan of exasperation.

"I haven't been snooping," she lied.

Dawn rolled her eyes.

"Whatever," she grumbled. "You know I have to have some kind of caffeine in the afternoon or I'm sunk the rest of the day."

Dawn opened up some of the cabinets above the sink and found just a small bag of decaf coffee.

"You're drinking decaf now? Ick."

"I'm not supposed to drink too much coffee."

"Well, can we hit the Starbucks?"

"They don't have one."

Dawn widened her eyes. "What kind of freaky town is this?"

Buffy heaved a deep sigh as she felt the tension constricting her muscles.

"If you're really aching for some Coke, I can stop by the convenience store."

"Cool," Dawn said as she breezed out of the kitchen without so much of an appreciative smile.

She skipped into the living room and settled down on a small couch. She switched the TV on and frowned.

"You don't have cable either?"

Buffy rolled her eyes as she slipped her sandals on.

"Sorry, kind of need something called an income to be able to afford luxuries like cable," she cracked.

Buffy snatched up her house key and bag.

"I'll be back in a bit."

Trish apprehensively shuffled into Travis' room as he played his video game.

"Travis, your dad is going to be here in a half hour. We should get your weekend bag ready."

Travis put his controller down and ran over to his mom, petting her leg and smiling.

"But I love you mommy, I want to be with you not daddy."

"That's...nice sweetie but um...your dad really wants to spend time with you this weekend. He's coming to get you so..."

Travis tugged Trish over to the TV and gave her a game controller.

"Play with me mommy."

Dean tapped on his small notepad as he checked traffic before crossing the street to get to his car. He did a double take when he noticed the mystery blonde cruising into the convenience store on the corner. He drew a sly smile as he crossed back over and casually wandered inside the store.

Buffy yanked the door to the refrigerated soft drinks open and pulled out two six packs of Coke. She set the drinks in her basket and skimmed the aisles for a few other snacks she knew Dawn would gripe about not having. She threw some packages in the basket when she bolted to a stop at the foot of the aisle and groaned as Mr. Annoying strolled through the door. She quickly retreated back down the aisle and went a different route when she found him perched by the register, flipping through a car magazine. She groaned softly in her throat and thought about bailing without buying anything when she recalled why she was out in the first place.

She heaved a deep sigh and pretended not to notice him as she stepped in line behind an elderly man. She kept her eyes down as she heard the old man asking the clerk to help him with a shopping list. She groaned again when the clerk came out from behind the register counter to assist the old man, leaving her within the clutches of Mr. Charmingly Arrogant. She stole a glance at him as he seemed engrossed in an article of the car magazine. She felt her annoyance settling out of her system as she tried patiently waiting for the clerk to return but the old man had tied him up with questions and indecisions.

"...does that have chromium in it? I can't have that," the old man whined.

Buffy let out another deep sigh as she eyed the old man and the clerk, silently praying for them to hurry it along.

"That's not a very healthy dinner."

Buffy stamped her eyes shut for a moment as she felt a rise of aggravation in her throat after hearing a familiar male lilt addressing her. She reluctantly turned her eyes forward as Mr. Bold and Obnoxious glanced into her basket.

She swung her basket behind her and frowned up at him.

"Oh, so not only do you dish out cheesy pick up lines, but also unwanted nutritional advice too?" she asked sharply.

Dean stared at her in complete awe when she threw him a frown identical to her younger sister's. He shaded with a sheepish smile and backed up a bit from her.

"I just meant, in your uh...condition you should be eating good stuff for the uh...kid."

Buffy deepened her resentful frown.

"Are you the baby nutrition police or something? You going to fine me or ticket me? Huh?"

Dean shifted uncomfortably under the weight of her fierce glare.

"Uh, no, no, I wasn't trying to be..."

He heaved a deep sigh and threw an apologetic expression.

"Look, I think we got off on the wrong foot at that party."

"Ya think?"

"I meant no disrespect," he replied.

Buffy remained silent, choosing to respond by simply cutting him down with her scornful glare. Dean absorbed the flare of suspicion in her eyes and cleared his throat.

"I'm sorry I offended you," he said sincerely. "My name's Dean by the way. And you are?"

Buffy rolled her eyes when he didn't wink or shine a flirtatious smile, going for a curious expression instead.

"Not interested," she groaned. "So don't waste your time by changing your approach with this 'nice guy' act."

Dean widened his eyes in awe at her absolute conviction.

"Wow, you're uh...quite the..."

Buffy sharpened her glare, slicing and dicing through this despicable guy. Dean cleared his throat again, shifting more uncomfortably in his stance.

"Uh, passionate, girl," he finished.

Buffy took in his seemingly innocent compliment before he opened his mouth again.

"If the baby's dad is anything like you, that's one hell of a firecracker you're bringing into the world," he said with a smile.

Buffy felt her heart splinter into a million pieces when traumatic revelations suddenly spun through her mind. She had spent many sleepless nights trying to bury the painful memories of yet another mark in her doomed love life and one little comment by a stranger had unleashed a swell of agony through her system again.

She roughly pushed passed Dean and set her basket on the counter, tapping her foot with extreme aggravation as the clerk finally returned to the register. She bit back her agony as she hurriedly stamped all her items on the counter and yanked out her wallet, keeping her eyes away from Dean.

Dean shifted in his stance and stared at this little spitfire with even heavier curiosity. He had caught the flare of hurt that passed through her eyes when he innocently asked about the baby daddy. As he pooled through his mind for something to say that wouldn't draw more of her wrath, he felt his cell phone humming in his pocket. When he caught the number on the screen, he retreated out of the store but hung by the door.

"Hey Sam," he said as he answered. "So I definitely smell something going on with kids here."

"I do too," Sam affirmed. "What's your knowledge regarding changelings?"

"Uh, bloodthirsty babies?"

"Not always babies."

"Okay, creepy kids with that "I want to eat you for lunch" look."

"Yep," Sam confirmed. "It turns out there is one at each victim that died of a so called accident. You should probably take a look at some of this stuff."

"Okay, I'll head back to you in a bit."

Buffy sighed in relief when Dean exited the store. She collected her two bags and ambled for the door when she caught sight of him a few feet away. She ducked back inside when two guys walked toward the door. She timed her exit using the guys to block her view and quickly retreated down the block.

Dean put his phone away and walked into the store. He drew a perplexed look when his mystery girl had cleverly evaded him somehow. He shook his head as he headed back to his car.

Buffy heaved a breath as her irritation finally seemed to bleed out of her body as she strolled back toward her house. After half a block, she noticed Trish's ex charging down the sidewalk with a look of deep bewilderment. He was shaking his head and grumbling under his breath as he charged passed several rows of cars.

Buffy felt her body tense up when she heard a loud snap in the air. Her eyes rapidly shifted around the street when she noticed a large oak tree falling fast toward the ground. She widened her eyes in dread when she realized Trish's ex was directly under the falling tree.

She impulsively burst down the street and gasped, "Hey! Look out! Look out! The tree! The tree!"

Garrett turned around when he heard a woman shouting. His eyes drifted up as a tree slammed into his head and crushed him to the ground.

Buffy bolted in her tracks, inhaling a breath in horror as Trish's ex went down. She heard an echo of bones cracking as the tree trunk smashed his body into the ground. She swallowed her dread as she pushed off toward him. She carefully stepped over the tree limbs and raced over to the pair of legs sticking out from the trunk.

"Oh god," she cried as she crouched down.

Buffy swept her eyes around cautiously before she slipped her hands beneath the tree trunk.

Dean tapped his hands against the steering wheel as a Bachman Turner song played on the radio. As he swung the Impala around a corner, he glanced at a large tree that had fallen across the sidewalk. He did another double take when he swore his eyes were playing tricks on him as he noticed the mystery blonde dead lifting the large tree trunk into the air. He slammed on the brakes and stared at her in complete astonishment as she moved the tree trunk aside.

"What the hell?" he muttered with wide eyes.

As he slowly blinked out of his awe, he glanced in the rear view mirror at the traffic gathering behind him. He veered the Impala to the side of the street and peeled out of the driver seat.

Buffy let out a low grunt as she lifted the tree trunk off the guy's body and shoved it aside. She gasped in complete horror when she saw the deep gash in his skull and the thick pool of blood around his head.

"Oh my god," she cried softly as she pressed two fingers along his neck.

After a moment, her face hung heavy with sorrow when she found no pulse. As the shock tingled in her system, her ears perked with the sound of approaching footsteps behind her. She quickly staggered back, discreetly rolling the tree trunk back on the guy's body.

"Sorry," she whispered. "Uh...rest in peace."

Buffy stumbled back and clapped a hand over her mouth as she cried in horror.

"Jesus."

Buffy widened her eyes when she recognized the voice. She slowly pivoted around to see Dean staring down at the body draped with a tree. He crouched down and tilted his head to look under the tree and saw the pool of blood. He shifted his eyes up and looked over the mystery blonde who was getting more interesting by the minute. She didn't have an ounce of sweat from the arduous feat of lifting a tree a hundred times her own weight. She didn't seem too freaked out by the sight of a dead guy compared to most women he had come across in his time as a hunter, in fact, she was quite composed despite the visible sorrow flaring in her eyes. But what he was completely thunderstruck by was that she had known she had disturbed the accident scene and had swiftly covered her tracks, slipping the tree trunk back on the victim like she had found it.

Dean veiled his growing suspicions and flashed his concern.

"You okay?"

Buffy stared down at Dean for a long minute as she masked her deep curiosity about this guy who seemed to always be in her hair.

"Um, yeah, I'm fine," she answered. "It's just...horrifying."

Her eyes shifted behind her when she heard car doors opening. Several residents were approaching the scene with looks of bewilderment.

Buffy backed onto the street and noticed Dean watching her before she deliberately tucked herself in an oncoming crowd. As the crowd gathered at the scene, a police patrol car peeled around the corner. Dean slipped away and went back to his car. He settled deep in his seat as his mind still reeled with what he witnessed a few minutes ago.

"Who are you?" he asked in complete wonder.

He took a moment to make a mental list about this mysterious girl:

One, she keeps holy water handy in her home.

Two, she has abnormal strength for a girl her size.

Three, she practices discretion when investigating strange scenes.

It all added up to one conclusion: he was damn sure he was going to unveil the mystery about that hot little blonde.


	3. Chapter 3

**Ch. 3 Someone to Watch Over Me**

Dean swung a U turn through the intersection as his mind reeled with scenarios about his mystery wonder woman. He was so caught up in his fascination that he nearly missed the make shift sign a teenage girl was waving on the corner of the street. Written in permanent marker, the sign advertised, 'buy a slice of pie for Cicero High.'

Dean hit the brakes and backed the car up toward the corner. He rolled down the window as the teenage girl holding the sign noticed him. He licked his lips when he saw the assortment of fresh baked pies set out on a small table.

The teenage girl in a Cicero High tee shirt excitedly approached the window.

"Hey mister, I'm raising money for our basketball team, my mom baked the pies fresh this morning."

"What kind you got?"

"Apple, cherry and raspberry rhubarb."

A few minutes later, Dean collected two slices of apple and one cherry, each stuffed in a wax paper pocket. He devoured each one quickly as he made his way back to the motel. He moaned gleefully as he licked cherry sauce off his fingers. Hot super girls and corner pie sales, got to love this town, he thought, with the exception of demon kids terrorizing the neighborhood.

Sam looked up from his laptop when he saw Dean walking through the door with a silly smile on his face.

"Hey," Sam said. "You sure took your time getting back here."

Dean peeled off his jacket as his mind continued to spin with thoughts.

"Yeah well, I uh, got caught up in something."

"Caught up in what?"

"Just – something."

Sam caught the sparks brewing in his brother's eyes as he wandered over to a corner of the room. Usually, that was a big indicator that Dean was cooking up or was presently swimming in exciting thoughts of the female kind. Sam stifled his curiosity knowing that he was traveling down a road that led to nothing but wildly gross ideas from the lascivious mind of his brother.

Dean fished through a bag and retrieved his dad's journal as Sam eyed him with suspicion.

"What?" Dean asked as he noticed the look.

Sam shook his head.

"Never mind."

Dean sat at a small desk as Sam was settled on a bed.

"Are you going to take a look at any of this?" Sam asked as he referred to the research pulled up on his laptop.

Dean casually perused through the journal pages and waved a hand.

"Nah, just give me the Cliff Notes man, no need to be repetitive you know? What do you got?"

Sam heaved a sigh. "Well, these changelings have the ability to take the form of children and mimic them. From what I've read about the lore, a changeling climbs through the window and grabs the kids. When I was at the Yales' house, I noticed this weird mark on the windowsill."

Dean looked up from the journal and eyed Sam.

"Red smudge?"

Sam nodded in acknowledgment. "I think it was blood."

"Saw the same thing at the Bateman's place," Dean imparted. "The babysitter was watching the kid the night she got fried. So we got a demon jacking kids and taking their place in the fam, for what reason? Capturing their lost childhood?"

"No," Sam replied. "For feeding purposes."

"Ah but of course, it always comes down to the essentials, even for child napping demons, huh?" Dean asked sardonically.

Dean titled his chair back as he continued flipping through the journal trying to find a specific page. He was positive he had read something awhile ago about a girl with freaky strength. He had spent many nights trying to decipher his dad's cryptic notes without much success. So when he came upon such a simplistic yet detailed entry it had stuck out in his mind but he couldn't for the life of him remember the exact details or what dad had called her.

"Changelings need synovial fluid from the mom to survive," Sam explained. "They leave this strange mark on the back of the neck. I got a look at the one on Carrie Yale, it kind of comes off looking like a strange rash."

After a moment, Dean stopped on a page and set the chair feet down on the floor. He tapped on the notes scrawled in his father's handwriting and lit up. There were several pages of notes followed by a few news articles taped inside:

_Caleb swears up and down that a pretty little thing got his ass out of a jam when he got pinned by a gang load of demons in Dixie...this was after eight shots of scotch and a mild concussion so who the hell knows if he was just blowing smoke up my ass..._

_Rufus mentioned that a little 'Goldilocks' saved his ass from a vampire attack in New Orleans. Said she displayed strength and speed that was not humanly possible._

Dean perused over the various news clipping taped to several pages:

_Sunnydale Police are baffled over mysterious town wide outbreak of laryngitis. _

_Tragic explosion rocks Sunnydale High graduation._

_Small town in CA completely sunk by massive earthquake._

Dean widened his eyes in immense amazement as he continued to peruse his father's notes.

_I have heard many more rumors about this courageous young heroine – she's more than just a hunter..._

_Slayer, The - "into each generation, one is born, a Chosen One." _

_Teenage girl - average age 15-18 years, made from the essence of a demon – exhibits supernatural speed, strength, superior fighting skill, accelerated healing power, unusually heightened senses including a natural instinct of demonic presence..._

_Under the guardianship of a 'Watcher'_

_She is the greatest warrior the world will never know. _

Sam frowned in irritation when Dean was more interested in reading their dad's journal than absorbing the facts of their case.

"Dean, are you even listening to me?"

Dean reviewed the last note his dad wrote about the Slayer:

_They always die young._

His dad had underlined the word 'always' several times in emphasis. Dean heaved a breath as those four words resonated sharply through him for a long minute. There was no doubt in his mind now that his mystery girl was the living legend – the Chosen One - the world's greatest champion against evil. 'Goldilocks' the Vampire Slayer had managed to defeat the quoted average life span and was about to embark into motherhood...in a town riddled with bloodthirsty demonic children.

They always die young.

"Dean!" Sam growled.

Dean gulped down several spoonfuls of apprehensive thoughts pooling through his mind concerning Momma Slayer. He forced his eyes to regard Sam and absorbed his resentful glare.

"You weren't listening at all, were you?" Sam asked with deep annoyance.

Dean batted a hand in the air and threw a casual look.

"I heard you, changelings need fluid from the moms, right?"

Sam shined his surprise that his brother had managed to retain aural information while intently reading, successfully juggling two tasks at the same time. Stranger things have happened, he thought.

"Uh, yeah. Synovial fluid. The mom's have markings on their neck," Sam reiterated.

Dean shut his dad's journal and pushed it aside. He tilted his chair back as he swallowed the heavy dread gripping his system and focused on brainstorming over the case at hand.

"Okay, so the changeling takes up shop in the family, chows down on the mom. It must be in small doses if the moms aren't dropping as soon as they're fed on."

Sam blew out a breath and nodded.

"Yeah, apparently changelings can feed for at least a few weeks before the mom's system finally shuts down for good."

"Okay, so that's why all these dads are eating it..."

Sam nodded as he glanced at his notes.

"Rob Yale was home with his daughter while the mom was out," he imparted.

"Making it the perfect time for him to have his little accident," Dean deduced. "According to the gossip in the neighborhood, the 'death by saw' guy had to cut his weekend visitation short cuz his kid pitched a fit and wanted to go home to mom."

Dean tapped on the desk with his fingers as he mentally analyzed his own investigative notes.

"Then there's the kid that got stuck with the crispy fried babysitter," he added.

"Looks like anyone who interferes in keeping the changeling's food source on hand winds up on a hit list," Sam assessed.

"And that Garrett dude got his head bashed in by a tree," Dean noted softly.

Sam frowned in confusion. "Garrett?"

"Oh, uh yeah, there was another 'accident' in town about fifteen minutes ago," Dean explained. "I heard the scoop on my way off the scene. This was his weekend to be with his kid. I guess he was on his way to pick him up when a tree squashed him like a bug. This changeling takes its meals seriously."

"Yeah, apparently," Sam said glumly.

Dean felt himself slowly sinking back into his dread and quickly eschewed anymore personal reflections by getting to the objective of the case.

"Okay, so how do we waste it?"

"Fire should do it," Sam revealed.

"Okay, so we just need to round up the kids, throw them down on the lawn and light 'em up. That'll go over well," Dean groaned.

Dean sucked in a breath as his mind kept spinning with facts, information and more prominently – to his dismay - his knowledge about the Slayer.

"If all the kids were snatched, where were they taken?" he asked to steer himself back on topic.

Sam glanced through a bookmarked webpage.

"Well, if any of this lore is true, changelings hole up the kids in an underground location. So it's possible the real ones are around here."

"Okay, so we've got to figure out where they could be stashed."

Sam nodded as he got to his feet and collected his jacket.

"Wait, wait, wait," Dean paused. "What if a changeling is feeding on a mom and all of a sudden it decides it wants...something else?"

Sam drew a baffled expression at his brother.

"Something else?"

Dean leaned back in his chair, gripping his hands on the desk.

"Yeah, like, what if it's eating you know, the equivalent of...a chicken nugget and...a twelve piece bucket of fried heaven with all the side fixings walks by? Is it possible that it could...help itself to that?"

Sam deepened his baffled expression and scratched his head.

"Uh, well, from the all research, it needs the fluid from the mom, so unless you're talking about a mom, I'd say no."

"Is it safe to say that changelings can sniff out this fluid, like...a vampire can sniff warm blood?"

Sam frowned with bewilderment but went along with his brother's theorizing when he took in Dean's sincere visage.

"Um, I didn't come across any details like that but, I guess so. I mean, it is a supernatural creature so it's very possible it has heightened awareness to certain things."

Feeling a deep pang in his gut, Dean set the chair back on its feet as a theory rippled through his mind. He glanced up at Sam with an apprehensive look.

"Did you happen to come across anything in your research about changelings specifically feeding on moms with kids? Or is it possible that it could just tap something with stronger meal vibes?"

Sam crinkled his brows as his confusion thickened another degree.

"What do you mean?"

Dean blew out an impatient breath as he got to his feet.

"I mean, if a changeling senses someone has more 'yummy goodness' than normal – it'd want it really bad, wouldn't it?"

Dean let out another deep sigh as he gauged Sam's complete awe.

"Say one of the moms had a greater tolerance for these changeling feedings, like she wouldn't die off after a couple of weeks, she'd have a big red bulls- eye on her head cuz she'd be like a longer lasting supremo meal, right?"

Sam remained stupefied by Dean's incessantly puzzling theories, falling into a minute of speechlessness. Dean frowned with impatience when he was met with no response from his know it all brother.

"Just go with me on this man," he moaned.

Sam heaved a sigh as he tried to give some weight to Dean's crazy musings.

"Um, I guess but..."

"That's what I was afraid of," Dean replied grimly.

He hurriedly slipped his jacket on and picked up his keys.

"Where are you going?"

"I need to check into something," Dean answered as he pulled the door open.

"But, what about the real kids? If they're alive, we need to find them," Sam pointed.

"We will," Dean said firmly. "But we also have to keep the people in this town safe too."

Sam snatched his bag and followed Dean out to the car.

"What took you so long? I'm starting to crash," Dawn groused.

Buffy pulled off her coat and sighed as she dropped the bags on the coffee table. Dawn dove into a bag and yanked a can of Coke out, flipping the tab. Brown liquid spurted out of the can and sprayed Dawn in the face. Dawn yelped as Buffy bit back a deep chuckle tugging at her mouth.

"Oh, um, sorry, I guess they got a little shaken up on my way back."

Dawn huffed as she shot to her feet and charged into the kitchen. Buffy swallowed her snickers when she glanced through the front window and noticed a patrol car easing down the street. Feeling her instincts kicking in, she edged closer to the window and peeked down the road where the patrol car stopped at the end of the block.

As she heard Dawn grumbling in the kitchen, Buffy shifted back to the front door.

"I'm going to grab the mail Dawnie, I'll be right back!"

Buffy darted out the door before Dawn could protest. She walked down to the end of her street to find two uniformed police officers talking to Trish on the porch. Several of the surrounding neighbors began to gather outside of Trish's house in curiosity. As the gossip spread through the crowd, Buffy narrowed her eyes on Travis as he clung to his mom. She stifled a gasp when her instincts rang sharply.

"No," she cried very softly.

Dean stopped the car at the foot of the Morning Hill community.

"Call me if you find the kids," he said. "But DON'T do anything until I get back to you."

Sam blew out a huff in protest as he remained in the car.

"Are you going to tell me what you're up to?"

"I told you I have to check into something," Dean stressed.

"Involving the case?"

Dean absorbed Sam's doubtful expression and frowned scornfully.

"Yeah the case," he said sharply. "What else would it be about?"

Sam caught his brother's evasive tone and deepened his suspicion.

"Gee, I don't know, how about whatever you found so fascinating in dad's journal?" he asked point blank.

Dean painted a clueless look over his face.

"What are you talking about?"

Sam scoffed and rolled his eyes. He knew his brother was deliberately trying to pull one over on him.

"Come on Dean, you were right in front me reading dad's journal like it had the secret to unlocking a hidden treasure."

Dean cocked his head and inadvertently broke into a silly smile.

"Well, actually..."

Dean snapped his eyes to Sam as he cleared his throat and flashed an evasive frown.

"I was just reading to pass the time," he lied.

Still seeing Sam's heavy disbelief, Dean deepened his frown and waved him away.

"We don't have time to debate my reading habits. Start looking Sam and remember don't do anything without me," he warned.

Buffy gently pushed through the crowd of people perched on the street and ambled up to Trish's house as the police officers walked away. As Trish swung the door shut, Buffy ran up to the porch.

"Trish!" she called.

Buffy flew up to the door and swallowed her intense fear as her instincts roared when she noticed Travis observing her. She shifted her eyes to Trish who looked absolutely ashen.

"I um, I just heard about your ex," she said. "God, I am so sorry. If there is anything I can do, just let me know."

Buffy took pause when Trish rubbed the back of her neck.

"Um, thanks Buffy, but um, I'm okay."

Buffy gently brushed a hand over Trish's and met her eyes.

"Are you sure?"

"Mommy, milk please."

Buffy caught the stir of horror in Trish's eyes as she regarded her son.

"Okay Travis, one second."

Travis threw his arms around Trish's waist.

"Milk now please."

Trish started to turn away as Buffy desperately tried to think of a discreet way to keep her attention.

"Oh um, while I'm here, do you think I could get that box of baby clothes you wanted to give to me?"

"Uh...it's upstairs in the closet."

Buffy stepped through the door and feigned a calm look.

"Oh, well I can get it on my own and leave you to your business. Just point me the way."

Dean spotted a patrol car pulling away from a house lingering with a small crowd of neighbors. He parked a few houses away and walked on foot to the house adjacent to the Bateman's. He pondered his thoughts, trying to drum up a story as he rapped on the front door. After several minutes with no answer, he peered through the slanted blinds hanging over the front window. He couldn't see much so he swept his sights around before ambling to the back of the house.

When he tugged on the patio door, he was deeply dismayed to find it easily compromised.

"Super strength but doesn't lock her doors," he groaned.

He slid the door open and crept inside the kitchen. He explored a few drawers in the island counter and came across the one containing several bottles of holy water along with a couple of silver crosses on key chains. He shut the drawer and took a quick assessment of the rest of the kitchen. He noticed some rumpled photo copies by the phone and edged closer. He picked up the photo copies and realized they were news articles covering the accidents in the neighborhood.

"Well," he said softly.

He put the copies back where he found them and sifted through a pile of opened mail on the counter. He noticed most were cards addressed to 'baby Summers' with a personal note from the sender. He set the mail back on the counter and moved into the living room.

Dawn chomped on her third candy bar as she trudged down the stairs. She saw someone emerging from the kitchen and into the living room. She frowned as she snatched up the iron candlestick from the foyer table and snuck into the living room. She crept up behind Mr. Nosy and took a swing at the back of his head.

Dean perched in the living room as he ransacked the drawers in the desk. He didn't find any investigative tools or demon warding relics. He peeked at the browser history on the laptop sitting on the desk and found only websites about prenatal care and a few job listings. He suddenly tensed when he heard a very low snarl behind him. He swung around, widened his eyes in alarm and ducked just before a candlestick made contact with his skull.

"Woah!"

Dean scowled when he recognized the irascible teenage girl clutching the candlestick. When she took another swing at him, he skillfully grabbed the candlestick with both hands and ripped it away from her.

"Will you quit trying to hit me?" Dean asked, his tone thick with extreme annoyance.

Dawn huffed loudly and threw him a contemptuous glare.

"Will you quit snooping around my sister's house? Where do you get off breaking in? What do you want from her huh?" she demanded.

Dawn clutched her hands into fists and hitched her head up high in defiance.

"Are you trying to find a way to have sex with my sister?"

Dean shined his immense shock at her question as Dawn got nose to nose with him. She glared up at him with intense spite.

"Well you can forget it! She's sworn off lying men with charm to spare!" Dawn blurted out loud. "You're just like Cam trying to worm your way into her life and then crushing her."

Dean shifted into a curious expression as Dawn abruptly stopped her erratic admissions when she realized what had spilled out of her mouth.

"Cam? Who's that?"

Dawn tried to cover her unintentional insight into her sister's personal life by crossing her arms over her chest and raising her head high.

"He's NO ONE! He's a big jerk! A big, lying, jerk who's rotting in Hell," she spat.

Dawn deepened her glare attempting to brush her accidental revelations under the carpet but Dean had already taken the bait and reeled in a conclusion. No random guy could have spawned the wrath of the Slayer's little sister. She was defensive, suspicious and extremely disgusted by any guy roaming within the vicinity of her big sister.

"Oh, that's the baby daddy huh?" he assessed.

Dawn fidgeted in her stance and shook her head emphatically.

"I didn't say that," she growled.

"You didn't have to," he said. "I'm pretty good at reading people."

Dawn swung her eyes around and snatched up a cordless phone in her hand. She waved the phone in her hand and glowered at him.

"I've got the weapon and I'll ask the questions!" she barked.

Dean blew out a breath of deep annoyance as his mouth curled into a sarcastic smile.

"Gee, that's one scary looking phone."

"I'll call the police!" Dawn threatened. "Have your lying jerky ass thrown in jail for breaking and entering!"

She howled under her breath as Dean heaved a sigh of surrender.

"What's your name?"

Dawn turned her nose up.

"Wouldn't you like to know," she sneered. "You hitting on me too?"

"Yeah, cuz I love charming the grade school crowd for kicks," Dean cracked with a snort.

Dawn deepened her glare as Dean heaved another sigh.

"Jesus," he moaned. "I'm not here to take a shot at you or your sister for that matter."

"Then why'd you break in? What were you looking for?"

"I came here to talk to your sister," he explained.

"And you didn't think in that bone headed brain of yours to knock?" she asked snidely.

"I did knock," he clarified. "No one answered."

"So you thought you'd let yourself in? When my sister finds out you broke in, she's gonna..."

Dean shined his immense intrigue.

"She'll what? Kill me? Because I'm a big, lying jerk with charm to spare so that makes me like...'evil' in her book?"

Dawn broke from her lingering glare when something in his eyes unnerved her. She fidgeted in her stance again as she waved the phone at him.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't crack your head open!"

Dean snorted at this obnoxious teenage girl.

"Okay, how about...you've tried TWICE already and failed," he pointed with a small smirk. "If you haven't already noticed, I've got mad reflexes."

Dawn scoffed at his cocky attitude as she gripped the phone tighter in her hand.

"We could spar all night little spark, but I've got some urgent business to discuss with your sister. She around? What's her name by the way?"

Dawn huffed and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Not interested," she barked.

Dean cracked a smile and burst into laughter.

"Wow, she teach you that response?"

He shook his head in amusement.

"Not very original but still funny."

Dean strolled around the living room and noticed a single framed picture displayed on the mantle. He saw his mystery girl in the center with an expression he had never seen before, a bright, happy smile. There was an assortment of people surrounding her, including the teenage sister spitting fire at him, along with an older man in glasses.

"Whatever business you have to discuss with her, you'll have to take up with me," Dawn griped as she stuck her nose up.

Dean leaned against the fireplace mantle and cocked his head, throwing the girl a casual look.

"Okay...how long has your sister been...the Slayer?" he asked point blank. "Because she seems to have gotten a little lax about locking her doors, I mean, if someone like me could get in without much effort, something else could get in to, like say...oh...an evil creature."

Flustered, Dawn dropped the phone and stormed toward the front door, pointing to it.

"You're a loony and I want you to leave right now," she barked.

Dean pushed off the mantle and strolled around the living room.

"I'll leave after I have a word with your elusive sister."

Dean cracked an amused smile.

"She's pretty good at giving me the slip, got to give her props for that."

Dawn tore away from the door and charged over to Dean, getting in his face.

"You still haven't said what you want with her. Or WHO you are? Why should I tell you anything? Why are you so interested?"

Dean heaved a sigh of heavy exasperation from the girl's incessantly aggravating behavior.

"Alright, I get it," he moaned. "You're trying to protect your sister from nosy strangers. That's good, I'm glad you care so much about her but listen up little sis, the best thing you can do for her right now, is to go home because hanging around here is only going to put you in the line of fire."

Dawn scoffed as she assessed Dean for a long minute.

"Oh yeah? Why should I listen to a birdbrain like you?"

Dean blew out a deep breath to keep his cool.

"You know, you really should be nicer to people who are trying to help you and your family members," he admonished.

Dean sat down on the couch arm as Dawn seethed in silence.

"Look, I have no intention of exposing your sister, it looks like she's trying to settle into a normal life and I'm all for it, I really am," he replied sincerely. "So you just need to trust me and be a little more forthcoming in answering my questions."

Dawn exuded a cynical frown as Dean heaved another sigh.

"Okay, how about this, for every question you answer of mine, you can ask one about me."

Dawn huffed as she turned her nose up in the air.

"Who are you?" she asked sharply.

"My name is Dean. What's yours?"

Dawn shifted in her stance as she reluctantly muttered under her breath.

"Dawn."

"Dawn, nice to meet you."

"What do you want with my sister?"

"I want to keep her safe," he answered. "If you aren't already aware, which I suspect being the sister of a legend, she trained you to be, the accidents in town aren't exactly accidents."

"And how would you know this?"

"Uh-uh, it's my turn," he stated. "What's your sister's name?"

After a long pause, Dawn drew a deep huff.

"Buffy," she muttered.

Dean grinned with satisfaction over settling one of the many looming questions he had about the Slayer.

"Cool, now I don't have to go with my usual intro of, 'hey good looking'," he cracked.

Dawn glowered at him with suspicion. He sighed and shined an amused smile.

"I'm seriously kidding," he said. "I've already met your sister but uh, things didn't really go over so well...anyway. I believe it's your turn."

"IF she for some reason needed to be protected, which I'm not saying she does, why do you think you can protect her? She can take care of herself you know."

"I'm sure she can, I don't doubt she can," he admitted. "But I have a heavy suspicion that your little visit wasn't just to check in on her to say hi, was it? Maybe you got wind of these strange deaths in your sister's town and you hopped on the first bus out here to see if she couldn't resist her natural instincts to snoop into things. I mean, I know if someone told me not to poke my nose into someone's business, I'd feel the aching need to do just that so, I'm sure with someone like your sister, that ache is like magnified ten times or so, huh? She's quite the spitfire."

Dean flashed a brief look of admiration as Dawn remained highly guarded.

"I just came to visit," she lied.

"No, you didn't."

"Yeah, I did."

Dean drew a skeptical frown at Dawn.

"Hey, you're not the only one who knows a lie when they hear it, miss I invented lying."

Dawn scoffed as she stared at the front door for a second. She growled when a realization suddenly hit her.

"Getting the mail my ass," she moaned as she yanked the door open.

She charged out the door and ripped open the mail box seeing a thick stack of letters. Dean ambled out in curiosity as Dawn looked down the street at the dispersing crowd.

Dean took in Dawn's heavy frown of suspicion. Just as she stepped off toward the end of the block, he snatched the crook of her arm and stopped her.

"Your sister is snooping around at that house, isn't she?"

Dawn remained silent but her eyes silently acknowledged his question.

"Right," Dean sighed as he surveyed the street for creepy kids. "Go back in the house, grab your stuff and take the first bus out of town."

Dean ushered her back to the door as Dawn stomped her foot down in protest.

"You can't tell me what to do! She's MY sister! Just leave us alone!"

"Can't do that, sorry," Dean remarked firmly.

He discreetly edged closer to Dawn.

"Listen to me," he said sternly. "These 'accidents' are a message to those that get in the way of what this demon wants. That means YOU, you understand me? I know you're trying to protect her but the more you do, the more you put your own head on the chopping block. That's why the best thing you can do for your sister is to leave town and let me handle this."

Dean blinked in surprise when Dawn suddenly let go of her extreme reluctance and displayed genuine fear in her eyes.

"What's after my sister?" she asked softly.

"I'm not certain if it is after her, that's why I came to talk to her," he said. "To make sure she doesn't stick her nose in this."

Dawn scoffed loudly.

"You can't make my sister do anything."

"I didn't say it was going to be easy," he acceded. "But I'll do my best to make sure she stays out of danger."

Dawn crossed her arms over her chest and snorted defiantly.

"And why would you do that huh? Why would you risk your life to protect her – someone you don't even know?"

Dawn scrutinized Dean for a long minute as he looked down at her with earnest eyes.

"It's my job," Dean stated succinctly.

Dawn stared at Dean in disbelief as his concern remained set on his face.

"Fine," she huffed as she pivoted toward the house. "But if you get my sister killed, I'm coming after you!"

"Right, looking forward to that."

Dean shook his head and sighed as he watched Dawn slam the front door shut.

Trish scratched at the back of her neck as she cowered slightly when Travis came at her with loving smile.

"I love you mommy."

"Um, thanks sweetie..."

Buffy lingered in the doorway, taking a quick assessment of the foyer, looking for possible weapons. She had to get Trish away from Travis. Trish turned her back on Buffy to address Travis. Buffy noticed the same strange red welt on the back of her neck.

"Make her go away mommy," Travis whispered.

Trish swung around to face Buffy.

"Um Buffy, this really isn't a good time, could you come back later please?"

Buffy swallowed her dread when the fear was loud and clear in Trish's eyes.

"Oh, yeah, sorry, I didn't mean to bother you. I'll get out of your way."

Buffy edged back through the door as Trish swung it shut. She backed off the porch and peered over the side of the yard. She discreetly rounded the house and leaned over a bush obstructing her access to the lower bedroom window. She noticed the same red smudge on the windowsill and was about to swipe it when she heard voices inside.

Dean perched on the sidewalk and caught sight of Buffy leaning over a flowery bush hugging the side of the house. He looked around the street as most of the neighbors had gone back inside their homes for the evening. He pushed off toward the yard and shook his head.

Buffy backed away from the window and quickly retreated to the sidewalk when someone suddenly grabbed her arm from behind. Her first instinct was to take a swing but she reminded herself of trying to blend in with the rest of her seemingly normal neighbors. Except now, the kids here were far from 'normal' – downright freaky was more like it and they were doing something to their mothers.

Buffy shifted her eyes up and groaned when she saw Dean gripping her arm firmly with his hand. She blinked briefly in awe at their sheer height difference. She had been so annoyed in having to deal with him that she hadn't really taken in the fact that Dean seemed to tower over her like the Empire State Building. She wasn't above kicking that building down if she had too.

"You," she grumbled. "What are you doing?"

Dean gently ushered her down the sidewalk.

"Walking you home."

Buffy frowned with disapproval as she struggled to maintain her 'dainty, normal girl' strength when she tugged at his grip. She was a hair close to flipping him to the ground with a simple flick of her wrist but she swallowed her instincts as a lone car sailed down the street.

"I can manage," she said firmly.

As he waited for her to move away from Trish's house, she heaved a deep sigh and pushed off down the sidewalk. Dean took up step next to her, prompting her to shift into a suspicious glare.

"Who are you and why are you following me?"

"Think of me as...neighborhood watch."

"I didn't think you lived in a family community like this or did you just exhaust the entire population of single women that you thought you'd take a stab at unsuspecting moms to be?"

Buffy narrowed her eyes even more as Dean heaved a sigh in acknowledgment.

"I've apologized a couple of times for that already," he lamented.

"And yet you're still here – why?"

Dean shrugged in a nonchalant manner.

"There's been a lot of strange stuff going on in this neighborhood, people falling off ladders, slipping on electric saws; I just want to make sure you get home safe," he replied frankly.

Buffy studied Dean for a long moment as she tried to figure out his new angle. Was he honestly still trying to pick her up after she rejected him twice? She couldn't help but notice the significant change in his attitude toward her now than in their previous encounters. Instead of that smug, bothersome smile and smart aleck comments he had thrown at her before, he seemed more reserved and more...genuine in his concern.

She remained guarded as he finally released his grip on her arm.

"I think I can make it on my own, just fine," she insisted.

"Okay, then I'll just walk with you since I'm going in the same direction anyway."

Buffy blew out a sigh as Dean kept his eyes forward, not ogling her in the slightest.

Dean glanced up at the Freeman's second story window and noticed the raven haired girl eyeing Buffy intently as she strolled down the sidewalk a few feet ahead of him. He swallowed his deep anxiety as he swung his eyes across the street and noticed two other kids staring at her from their bedroom windows with that 'there's a tasty happy meal' look. He hurriedly edged up behind her as she turned down the path leading to her house.

Buffy paused on the pathway when she noticed Dean perched a few feet behind her.

"This is me so...you can go on now."

Dean nodded toward the front door.

"I'll walk you up."

Buffy shook her head but Dean gently clasped her wrist and guided her along the pathway. She frowned with offense as Dean seemed to be treating her like some delicate piece of China, hovering over her in a protective manner. She bit immense urge to protest when she realized to everyone outside her small group of friends, she was just a young woman in a neighborhood hit with a wave of freaky accidents and this guy was just trying to make sure nothing happened to her. But she still felt there was something else buried beneath the surface of those green eyes studying her as intently as she was studying him.

"Okay well..." she said as she unlocked the door.

Buffy blocked the doorway, feeling a deep suspicion he was going to try and find a way to invite himself in for god knows what.

"I'm home safe."

Dean nodded as he shifted in his stance trying to draw his thoughts out.

"Listen...about earlier at the uh...store, the crack I made about uh...eating all that junk food...I didn't mean to imply that you weren't...fit...cuz you are..."

Buffy groaned in her throat as she narrowed her eyes in anticipation of another unwelcome pick up line.

"So, I apologize," he added with a smile. "It's obvious all that tree lifting you're doing is really paying off."

Buffy blinked in astonishment when she heard this. She gulped and stumbled through the doorway as she struggled to maintain her composure under his persistent gaze. She forced a strange look at Dean as she swallowed the heat threatening to rise in her cheeks.

"Uh, what? Lifting trees? What - an odd thing to say," she stammered as she scratched her head.

Dean nodded in acknowledgment.

"Yeah, it would be an odd thing to say, if I were talking to a normal girl who wasn't capable of actually lifting a tree. But...I'm not...am I?"

Buffy bit back the gasp rumbling in her throat as Dean flashed an amused smile when she squirmed slightly in her stance.

"Uh, wow, you're um...talking like a crazy person, maybe you want to check yourself into a loony bin and get some help," she covered. "I got to go."

Buffy swiftly swung the door to a close but Dean slipped through the narrowing space just before it shut. She blew out a sigh as her attempt to avoid his prying had failed miserably. The only way she was going to get him out of her house was by force.

"What do you think you're doing?" she asked with a dubious glare. "I don't recall inviting you in."

"Well, I'm not a vampire, so I don't need an invitation, I can just walk right in," Dean replied with a smirk.

Buffy stamped back another gasp tugging at her throat as she was completely floored by how much he knew about her true identity. She averted her eyes from his and took a moment to collect her rattled nerves before she addressed him.

"Uh...you...who are you and why are you...asking me about ridiculous stuff like tree lifting and vampires?"

Dean chuckled in amusement when he managed to break through her steely composure with just a few teasing hints about her true life. He settled his laughter down quickly and let out a breath, shading into a look of heavy concern.

"Relax, I'm not a tabloid reporter looking to expose the myth behind a super powered girl," he imparted. "I came here to see you, to make sure you weren't in any danger."

Buffy blinked with disbelief when she swore Dean sounded completely sincere, but she knew better than to trust a guy she barely knew. Sometimes lies were so easy to believe when they were delivered by a yummy looking package. Dean was the kind of guy who could get you to sell a vital organ with just a charming smile and a wink, and the worst part was, he knew it.

Buffy sucked in a deep breath and bore her eyes deeper into him, not about to admit to what he was clearly fishing for.

"And why would you think I'm in danger? I'm not planning any home projects with power tools and I don't see myself climbing up any ladders so, please just leave me alone," she said sharply. "As for your crazy talk..."

Dean heaved a sigh as he saw the fire flaring in her eyes.

"You and I both know the stuff happening around here weren't just 'accidents'," he said flatly.

He flashed her a knowing look as her frown transitioned into a curious expression. Buffy remained tight lipped as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"And why would you think you know anything about me?"

Dean cocked his head as he wandered passed her and perched at the foot of the stairway.

"Well, for one thing, you can lift a tree five times your size without sweating, two, you seem to like poking around your neighbor's yard as well as their business, three, you stockpile holy water in your kitchen..."

Buffy flashed a disapproving frown.

"You were spying on me?"

Dean shifted slightly in his stance after unintentionally giving away that little tidbit of knowledge.

"Uh, no, I was checking on something next door and...happened to notice you through the window...stockpiling holy water."

Buffy threw Dean a cynical glare.

"What exactly were you checking on?"

"Mysterious death of the Bateman's babysitter, Jill Meyers."

Buffy set her arms at her side as she lifted out of her frown.

"The um...the girl who was electrocuted?"

Dean took pause when he didn't even hesitate to tell Buffy the cold, hard truth about the deaths in the neighborhood. He didn't have to skew or edit certain details, he could just come clean and know she wouldn't freak out or accuse him of being insane. It was a relief, hell, it was refreshing for a change to speak the truth and even odd to hear it tumble out of his mouth.

"Yeah, police think the girl was drunk, knocked the radio in on accident but it was really a demon trying to get her out of the way," he replied explicitly.

Buffy gulped with shock for a long moment as her mind blanked of a response. She could keep denying through her teeth that she wasn't who Dean suspected she was but he had already seen too many things that had set up a theory in his mind. He knew about demons and holy water and apparently what a Slayer was and it didn't seem likely she could back herself out of the corner he had wedged her into.

Nevertheless, Buffy pressed another question upon him, hanging onto her cautious attitude.

"How would you know this?" she asked sharply.

Buffy examined his straightforward expression as she deepened her glare.

"It's what I do," Dean answered bluntly. "And it's what you did until recently I'm guessing."

Buffy noticed him glancing very briefly at her baby bump before he moved into the living room and peeked out the window for a minute. He rolled the shades shut and tugged on the window lock as Buffy perched in the doorway of the living room and watched him curiously. She was still completely flabbergasted by this 'all business' attitude he had shed upon her in the recent minutes since he had walked her home. There was zero come on or suggestion in the casual glances he cast upon her in between surveying the front rooms for security comprises.

After a moment, Dean edged away from the window adjacent to the front door and met her eyes.

"Tell me something, have you noticed any kids looking at you like you're...lunch?"

Buffy stared at him in wonder as he heaved a deep breath and rephrased his question.

"Do your Spidey senses go off when the kids around here get a glimpse of you?"

"Um, yeah, big time," she admitted.

Dean hooked a hand around the crook of her arm and led her to the foot of the stairs.

"That's what I thought. Go throw a bag together and then I'll run you over to the bus station," he instructed.

"What? Why?"

"You need to get the hell out of dodge."

Buffy planted her feet firmly on the floor as Dean tried to push her with a little more force onto the first stair.

"I'm not going anywhere," she said firmly. "I want to know what's going on – why the moms and kids are acting strange. What kind of demon is it and what does it want?"

"You let me worry about that," he emphasized sharply. "Right now you need to be as far away from this neighborhood as possible."

Buffy blew out an exasperated breath as Dean tried to usher her upstairs. She shoved him hard against the wall and grabbed him by the collar of his jacket, cutting him with an icy glare.

"What gives you the right to barge into my home and bark orders at me huh? If I wanted to, I could crush your skull in before you blinked," she growled.

"But you won't because you're supposed to protect innocent lives, not take them," he grunted.

"I'm not so sure you're all that innocent, you've been following me around and spying on me," she snapped.

Dean blew out his frustration through clenched teeth. His dad had missed a very important note in his entries about the Slayer: her stubbornness equaled her strength, maybe even surpassed it. He didn't really think he could convince her to get out of town but he had a small hope she would, a hope that was quickly fading the longer she cut through him with that steely glare.

"I was trying to figure out who you were and then when I knew I was trying to figure out WHY you keep sticking your nose into demon business," he reasoned.

"Demons ARE my business," she remarked caustically. "I've been fighting them most of my life and I'm not about to let one run me out of my own town!"

Dean let out a breath of aggravation as he tossed his own steely glare down at her.

"You're gonna have to because you DON'T fight demons anymore," he barked. "You should have picked up and left as soon as you smelled evil in this town."

Buffy balked at his blatantly scolding frown. She clenched her hands tighter around the collar of his jacket and shook him furiously.

"Who the hell do you think you are? You DON'T speak for me," she vexed.

Buffy stopped shaking Dean, raining a glare of complete animosity upon him as a tense silence brushed through the air.

After a moment to absorb the fury swelling in her eyes, Dean deepened his stern glare and took off the gloves. He was never going to persuade a seasoned demon hunter to flee from the fight despite her situation. He was going to have to hit her hard to convey his point.

"Okay, you're right, I can't speak for you," he acceded.

Dean felt her grip around his collar loosening slightly.

"So how about I speak for the ones that can't speak for themselves huh? How about I speak for that kid?"

Buffy noticed his eyes settled on her belly before drifting back to meet hers.

"Because you don't seem too concerned about its welfare," he snapped. "You're sniffing around your neighbors' yards, looking for clues like nothing in your life has changed. But the fact is IT HAS changed. You're not the Slayer anymore, you're a mom and that should be your first concern. But since you're too stubborn to let me protect you, then let me protect it, give it a chance to live because right now...you're putting your life and the life of your kid in danger so please just stop with the attitude because I'm TRYING TO HELP YOU!"

Buffy gasped softly when her body suddenly swarmed with maternal emotions. Her eyes pooled with moisture as she abruptly released her grip on Dean and backed away. She stared at him for a long moment, thunderstruck by the amount of conviction in his expression and tone. Behind the charm and silly one-liners was a guy who had fully grasped the dark world she had lived in since she was fifteen years old. The longer she studied him, the more she realized this was more than just a petty attempt to win her affection; he was genuinely concerned about protecting lives from evil. She had come across some male demon hunters in her eight years of Slaying, but most of the skilled ones were much older than Dean and yet, he exuded a staunch professionalism that kind of impressed her. But no way was she going to clue him on that.

"I'm not leaving town," she said with a frown.

Dean heaved a sigh of relief when Buffy released her grip on him and backed off. He collected himself as he observed her moment of silence, seeing a few tears escaping her eyes. She quickly wiped them away as she pivoted toward the kitchen.

"Fine," he sighed.

Buffy shuffled into the kitchen and heard Dean following behind. She opened the fridge and took out a loaf of bread and a bundled package of sliced turkey and cheese. She glanced at Dean as he leaned against the island counter and watched her making several sandwiches.

"I'm um, Buffy...Summers by the way."

Dean nodded as she fished out a butter knife.

"I know. Your sister told me your name. I uh, ran into her when...I was investigating your next door neighbor and...well, she thought I was peeping at you so she...hit me on the head with a garden hose and then she came at me with...a candlestick when she found me in your house."

"You were in my house?"

Dean fidgeted in his stance as he shaded a sheepish look.

"I was checking the safety of your house and uh...you left the side door unlocked."

Buffy glared at him for a minute before she remembered Dawn's strange utterance.

"You were the annoying squirrel," she said with a small smile.

"The what?"

"Nothing," she said. "You have such nerve, you know that?"

Buffy she suddenly realized Dawn's blaring absence when she heard the lull of silence.

"Where is she? I thought it was too quiet in here."

"I put her on a bus," Dean stated.

Buffy frowned as she stacked a slice of bread with meat.

"You did what? Why?"

"To keep her safe," Dean answered. "Just like Jill Meyers, she could have been a potential target for the changeling if she stuck around here."

"Changeling?"

"Never came across one in your time huh?"

Buffy shook her head as she put two sandwiches on a plate and started making two more.

"Well, what is it and what does it want?"

"It's a demon that can mimic children, it goes in through the bedroom window, takes the kid and replaces it, feeds on the mom's synovial fluid – its main food source."

Buffy took a few bites of her sandwich as her mind channeled through the evidence she uncovered over the past few days.

"Oh, the um, moms, have this strange mark on the back of their neck, I'm guessing that's um...where they dine?"

Dean nodded in acknowledgement.

"Okay but that doesn't explain why you think this changeling would come after me, I mean, I don't have a kid to be replaced. Taking up shop in my house would be a little too obvious, don't you think?"

"Yeah but like I said, it wants the juice from the moms, they can drain them for a couple of weeks before they keel over. Considering your unique DNA, I'd think you're giving off like brownie pheromones – a dessert buffet if you know what I'm saying – with your strength you'd last a lot longer than the others. There's a possibility that these kids would stray a little ways from their home cooked meal and show up on your door for something better. So you're really not safe, not until Sam and I waste the thing."

"Sam?"

"My brother."

"Oh, you both hunt demons?"

"For awhile, yeah."

Buffy polished off her third sandwich as anxiety blew through her nerves.

"So all the creepy kids are changelings?"

"Fraid so."

"Then where are the real ones? What happened to them?"

"They might be stashed somewhere in the neighborhood. My brother's out looking now."

Buffy picked her coat off the counter and pushed her plate aside.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"My friend Trish, her son Travis got snatched, he's out there somewhere. She looked terrified. I have to talk to her, try and get her away from the thing."

Dean hooked a hand over her arm and shook her head.

"No way."

"I just want to check on her."

"You do that and you're practically serving yourself up on a plate."

"But I'm worried about her," she lamented. "She's the first person who went out of her way to welcome me to the neighborhood. I don't want anything to happen to her."

"You need to let me handle this," Dean stressed sharply as he took out his phone. "It's the house where that party was right?"

Buffy nodded as she reluctantly set her coat down.

"Okay, there wasn't a red mark on the windowsill then so chances are, your friend just got snared into the feeding cycle – she's not gonna drop anytime soon.

Buffy frowned with disapproval.

"That's not any comfort," she groaned.

Dean blew out another moment of frustration.

"Well, that's the best you're gonna get at this point until my brother and I blow these demon kids away."

Dean glanced at his watch and let out a deep breath, feeling the beads of tension and dread pulling at his muscles.

"I'll be right back, DON'T sneak away," he warned.

Buffy rolled her eyes but stayed put as her maternal emotions flourished through her system. For some reason, ever since Dean had emphatically expressed his vow to watch over her unborn baby, she had felt a bombardment of maternal instincts flooding through her at full force. Dawn and the gang had pleaded with her to stop getting involved in anything supernatural, banning her from even helping with research; they were just as determined to keep her nose out of the demon business as Dean was. She couldn't help but wonder if his reasons seemed to be more than just doing his job. There was something profoundly fascinating about the way he looked at her, like he was searching for something he lost but she couldn't quite put a finger on just exactly what was going on with him.

Dean drifted out of the house and made a quick walk to his car as he dialed Sam. He opened the trunk as Sam picked up after two rings.

"Hey Sam, what's the word, you find the kids yet?"

"No," Sam grumbled. "It'd go a lot faster if you were here to help. Where are you?"

Dean fished through the trunk and plucked several items into a bag.

"I'm checking into something. Listen, I need you to swing by the house on the end of Farmer Street, fourteen-eight-four, check on the mom – make sure she's okay and then call me back when you know."

"What? Why?"

"Because I'm asking you to," Dean said snidely.

Sam heaved a loud sigh on the other line.

"Fine. Are you EVER going to work this case?"

"I AM working," Dean stated as he walked through the front door.

"Really, so you're not scoping out that 'hot mom' again?"

Dean scoffed as he eyed Buffy sitting at the kitchen table with her lap top.

"Dude, don't be ridiculous. I told you I'm working. Now call me back when you've got news. And DON'T do anything without me."

Dean hung up and pocketed his phone. He spied the webpage of changeling lore on the laptop screen and frowned.

"Geez, you really are relentless, aren't you?"

Buffy finished her bite of a cherry tomato and narrowed her eyes on Dean.

"Like you should talk," she moaned. "And all I'm doing is looking at the info with a fresh pair of eyes, see if you missed something."

Dean collapsed the laptop and shined a confident look.

"I didn't. So no need to bother yourself with it. Let me do my job."

Dean settled into a chair and began taking parts out from his bag and laying them on the table.

"What's all that?"

"Hopefully, it'll end up being a fire breathing device of some kind."

"Oh, fire kills changelings."

"Yep."

Dean took a brief assessment of the miscellaneous parts before he started taking a few apart.

"So I asked Sam to drop by your friend Trish's house, he'll let me know if something's going down over there."

"Other than a monster feeding on her?"

"Yeah, other than that," he said with an amused smile.

"Well, do you have a plan? I mean, it's not like you can go door to door luring kids over to a bonfire where you'll make Smores and then 'oops' they 'trip' and fall into that fire. That might draw a little attention, doncha think?"

Dean cocked an eyebrow as he unexpectedly let out a laugh.

"Not any more of an attention getter than say...oh a tiny bit like you dead lifting a tree in broad daylight – in a public place," he pointed with a smile.

Buffy scowled as she pushed her plate aside.

"Okay so it was a bad impulse," she groaned.

"No worries, I've had quite a few," he admitted. "Anyway, once I finish this torch, Sam and I will regroup, set a plan in motion to get the changelings away from their meals. In the meantime, if any of 'em do come after you, I'll roast 'em."

Buffy eyed the assortment of parts as Dean screwed a couple of things together.

"You just carry that stuff with you?"

Dean shrugged as he tested his trigger mechanism.

"I'm sort of like a one stop chop shop you could say," he said with a grin.

He set his assembled piece down and discreetly glanced at the fourth uneaten sandwich on the plate. Buffy took notice of him honing in on her leftovers.

"Um, did you want that?"

Dean averted his eyes and shook his head.

"No, no, I'm fine, that's yours, you need to eat."

Buffy pushed the plate toward him.

"It's okay, you can have it. I'm pretty much stuffed. So, take it, it'll just go to waste anyway," she insisted.

Dean took pause in his action as his eyes drifted to the sandwich stacked with fresh turkey and cheese. He drew a silly smile as he set his task aside and took the plate.

"Well, only if you're done."

He gleefully bit into the sandwich and let out a moan of contentment.

"My two favorite food groups," he cheered.

Buffy snorted in amusement when she watched his sheer delight in such a simple meal. In four bites, Dean polished off the sandwich and licked the mustard off his fingers.

"Thanks, that was tasty!" he roared.

"You're welcome," she said.

Dean watched Buffy as she got up from the table and walked to the fridge, pulling out a pitcher of milk which she poured in a glass.

"So...uh, what's it like?"

Buffy paused in her long sip and eyed Dean curiously.

"What is 'what' like?"

"You know...carting extra luggage around."

Buffy shined her amazement at Dean for a long minute as he seemed genuinely interested.

"Um, it's...been quite the experience," she said with an incredulous look.

"Yeah, I uh, I bet it is."

Buffy took another sip of her milk as she drifted back to her seat.

"Although, I could live without little old ladies coming up to me and putting their hands on my tummy wherever I go," she groaned. "I don't understand why just because of my situation, complete strangers think they're entitled and allowed to just walk up and give me a little rub to satisfy their own curiosity. Needless to say, it's been real test of patience not to knock people out, cuz I swear the next person that does that to me..."

Buffy stopped ranting when she caught Dean staring intently at her bump.

"What?"

Dean widened his eyes and cleared his throat.

"Uh, nothing."

Buffy narrowed her eyes on Dean for a minute before shrugging her curiosity away. She reached behind her back and began massaging an ache at the small of her spine.

"Do you know what you're having yet?"

Buffy swept her eyes to Dean and absorbed his deep wonder.

"You really are nosy," she teased.

She let out a soft giggle mostly in awe at how curious he was about her situation. Never in a million years would she have pictured herself sitting with a guy like Dean, chatting about her upcoming arrival.

Dean shaded with a sheepish expression.

"Sorry, I uh...I just wondered. I didn't see too many indicators around here so..."

"Oh um, I haven't really had the chance to buy much, the move was sudden, the CHANGE was sudden and I haven't found a job just yet. I have an appointment next week though to find out but with the way things are going around here..."

"You might not be sticking around, yeah, I wouldn't blame you."

Buffy beamed an amused smile before she rubbed her belly. She had not yet told anyone about the thought cruising through her mind at that moment so she was completely dumbfounded by how easily the revelation rolled out of her mouth.

"I kind of think I'm having a girl," she confessed softly.

Dean took in the immense swell of maternal tears in her eyes as she clutched a hand against her abdomen.

"Is that a Slayer sense or just a feeling?"

"Just a feeling I guess," she said. "And a hope cuz if it's a boy I'm afraid he'll look too much like his..."

Dean caught the heavy flare of pain in her eyes as she paused abruptly, letting the last of her inadvertent admission drift into the air. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat as she deflected the subject.

"So um, how long have you been a hunter?" she asked.

Dean sat back and ran with her desire to keep her past private.

"Since I was...really young. What about you? When did you get tapped for Slaying?"

"When I was fifteen, so about eight years," she imparted. "How is it that you know about me?"

Dean let out a breath of ease as he answered with a straight shot.

"A couple of my dad's associates had encounters with you and he made some notes in a journal he kept."

Buffy widened her eyes in disbelief.

"A journal? Like 'Dear Diary, I heard about something called a Slayer today. Question mark, question mark..."

Dean absorbed the endearing smile on her face and chuckled at her humorous remark. He sucked in a breath as the list of attractive qualities about Buffy rapidly racked up in his mind. It all added up to what he didn't want to dwell on for fear of losing his focus.

He brusquely forced away the ill fated thoughts of having any kind of future, for the timer on his life was dwindling down with every breath that passed through him. He heaved a deep sigh, blowing out any lingering hope of being saved from impending death and masked the turmoil raging in his heart, maintaining his game face.

"No, not exactly, more like documentation about supernatural anomalies, theories, unsolved cases and stuff," he said flatly.

"Oh, your dad is a hunter too?"

"Was," Dean clarified softly.

Buffy soaked in the flare of sadness in her eyes and winced with guilt.

"Oh...I..."

Dean held a hand up.

"Don't apologize," he said with a forgiving expression.

Buffy shifted uncomfortably in her seat as Dean went back to assembling his torching device.

"Shouldn't you be out helping your brother look for where the real kids are?"

"It's a small neighborhood, we'd just be covering the same ground plus, I promised your sister I'd keep you safe."

"You did?"

"It was the only thing that convinced her to go," he reasoned. "She's as hard headed as you are. Anyway, once Sam gets back to me..."

"You'll be on your way? You got a time frame?"

Dean shined an amused smirk.

"Can't wait to get rid of me huh?"

Buffy shrugged with a casual look.

"Well, if your hunting skills are anything like your pick up lines, I might be better off without you," she cracked.

"Jesus, you're just gonna keep bringing that up," he said before he couldn't help but laugh.

Sam rapped on the door of the house Dean had sent him to, posing as a electric company employee. He pinned an I.D to the shirt on his pocket and pulled out a small notepad as the front door swung open. He flashed his ID and gave the woman in the doorway an alias and a cover story.

"I just need to check the fuse box real quick."

"Mommy, ice cream please."

Sam whipped his eyes over the woman's shoulder and saw the little boy at the foot of the stairs with that creepy look.

"Um, this really isn't a good time."

"Oh, well I won't be more than a minute, I'm out making my mandatory passes through the neighborhood. I don't need to be in the house since the box is on the side so, I won't bother you at all."

Trish leaned in the doorway. "Um, okay. If it's just a minute."

"Yes, I swear, thanks."

Sam quickly looked her over as he gave a polite smile before she closed the door. He took a few steps back and noticed the little boy clinging to the mom.

Sam discreetly wandered to the side of the house and took notice of the first floor windowsill smudged with a red mark. He shot his eyes around the property before he reached his long arm across a flowery bush and swiped a sample of the smudge on his finger. He rolled the smudge between his index finger and thumb when the texture was coarse, not smooth like blood. He ambled back to the sidewalk and fished out his phone.

Buffy watched Dean as he meticulously arranged parts on the table when he suddenly stopped and took out his phone.

"Hey Sam, what's the word? The neighbor okay?"

Buffy felt a tug in her bladder and winced. She shuffled upstairs to the bathroom leaving Dean in her kitchen.

"Well, I wouldn't say that, she's freaked out and didn't want to talk to me," Sam said.

"But she's still alive and kicking?"

"Yeah, why did you need me to check on her anyway? We can't really do anything until we figure out how to get the kids away from the moms."

"I know, I just needed you to do the favor."

Sam cruised down the street in the direction leading out of the neighborhood.

"Okay, well, that red smudge on the windowsill is not blood, it's dirt. I got a sample at the house when I was doing your 'favor'."

"Red dirt?"

Dean paused in his action as his mind flashed with a recollection.

"I think I remember seeing that, on the south side of the neighborhood."

"Yeah, me too, that's where I'm headed. Where are you? I'll swing by and get you."

"Uh, no, no, I'll uh, I'll meet you over there."

Sam perched on a curb and frowned with wonder.

"Why won't you just tell me where you are?"

Dean heard footsteps echoing in the hall and abruptly ended his conversation.

"Look, I'll meet up with you in about five minutes. Bye Sam."

Buffy rubbed her belly and heaved a sigh as she walked back into the kitchen to see Dean still working on his contraption.

"Hey, Sam said your friend Trish is okay, other than being really freaked out."

"So have you figured out a plan?"

"Not at the moment, sometimes I get hit with inspiration at the last minute."

"You mean you just make it up as you go along huh?"

"Yeah, exactly."

Buffy giggled and picked up the empty plate in front of Dean. She shuffled to the counter and dropped them in the sink.

Dean observed Buffy as she moved around the kitchen cleaning things up. He soaked in her situation for a long minute, basking in her massive achievement. He gripped the end of his torch device tightly, trying to stave off the bittersweet moment of running into this living legend, one hell of an amazing girl who was starting a new chapter of her life. Despite having known her for only a handful of hours, Dean couldn't help but feel immensely proud and envious for all that she had and all that she was about to be given.

"You know, you got a good thing here," he remarked softly.

Buffy closed a cabinet drawer, swung around and glanced at Dean. She was captivated by the soft lines on his face and the heavy sincerity in his expression.

"You don't have to hunt anymore, you've got a kid on the way, a nice little starter house. It's really a blessing," he exalted.

"With the exception of the fact that a demon is replacing all the kids in my neighborhood," she cracked with an amused smile.

"Right," he said. "There's that little snag."

Dean forced back the instinctual urge to dwell on his fleeting mortality. He deepened his earnest expression and heaved a sigh.

"What I'm trying to say is...you're really fortunate at the chance you've been given. You finally get to have something...real you know? I mean, you fought your battles, you fought your demons, you hoped and you wondered if you'd ever get out of that dark tunnel and now eight years later here you are - your legacy is going to be more than just a bunch of awesome tales tossed around a bar – you'll have a kid, a house, a job that doesn't involve demons. You can just live your life and be...happy," he said with a melancholic expression.

Buffy felt her heart shuddering heavily at the profound sadness in his tone as he looked off. She walked back to the table and leaned across the top of her chair.

"You don't think you'll ever get out of the hunting life? I mean, you're not that much older than me, what's to say in five or ten years you can't have your own legacy if that's what you want?"

"It's wishful thinking at this point," he replied dryly. "What you've got, I'll never have. I went though some stuff recently and...it just made me see that...I'm still roaming through that dark tunnel and thinking...when I get out, my legacy is probably just going to be...my car."

Buffy shined her concern as she absorbed the deep reflection in his eyes.

"You could always just quit," she said. "It's not easy – take it from me – you've seen evidence of that but it's always an option."

Dean dropped his eyes to the floor before he heaved a sigh and went back to his task.

"No, it's not," he said flatly. "I've got Sam just like you've got Dawn."

"Yeah but, it sounds like you're okay with Sam being off on his own right now so..."

Dean attached some more parts to his fire contraption and shook his head, as his face knitted with pessimism.

"It's just not gonna happen for me," he said sharply.

He blew out a deep breath as he looked over the remaining assortment of parts.

"I should finish this up," he said evasively.

Buffy respectfully let go of her curiosity and backed away.

"Okay, um, I think I'm gonna take a bath."

"Okay, I'll be here," he said softly. "If any changelings show up for a chow down, just give me a holler."

Buffy drifted upstairs and shuffled into the bathroom. She turned the faucets on and let the water run while spooled some fresh towels onto the rack.

Dean finished up his blowtorch and admired it for a second. He heard the doorbell chime and got up from the table and ambled down the short hall. He opened the door a crack and peeked out to see an older woman standing on the porch. The woman flashed him a friendly smile as he widened the door.

"Hi there, I'm Lora with Cicero Realty. Is the lady of the house home? I'd just like a few minutes with her."

Dean returned with a polite smile.

"Sorry, she's busy at the moment."

"Oh, okay, are you...the significant other? I thought she lived alone."

"I'm just helping her out with something. Maybe you can come back in the morning? It's kind of late."

Lora waved a hand with an apologetic smile.

"Yes, of course. Sorry to trouble you, I was just hoping to catch her, she's always so busy."

Dean nodded as he swung the door shut. He drifted into the living room and snuck another look through the blinds at the street to check for creepy kids hanging outside. As the house fell into an eerie silence, Dean felt an odd sense behind him and whipped his eyes over his shoulder. When he didn't see anything or anyone, he went back to scoping out the view of the street.

Marla Freeman locked her bedroom door and popped a couple sedatives. She shuddered violently as she crashed into bed, crying herself to sleep. A few minutes later, as she slept in the fetal position, Christianne appeared inside her room, parted the hair covering her neck, and sunk her teeth into the flesh.

Christianne suddenly stopped and flashed out of the room...

Annette Doolittle cowered against the locked bathroom door as Katie furiously pounded her fists against it.

"Mommy come out please! Mommy!" Katie cried.

Annette sobbed hysterically under her breath as the pounding continued, then abruptly stopped. Annette gasped at the creepy silence and slowly unlocked the door. She peered through the crack in the door to see Katie had disappeared...

Trish frowned sternly. "Travis, please go to bed now!"

Travis shook his head and started jumping on his bed instead.

"But I'm not tired right now, let's play mommy!"

"No, it's time for bed."

Travis giggled and continued prancing around on his mattress.

"Travis! Stop it! Please stop it!"

Travis abruptly stopped jumping and vanished from the room. Trish widened her eyes in confusion.

Buffy shut off the water valves and lit a large vanilla candle inside a hurricane glass. She pulled her hair back in a ponytail and began undressing when her eyes widened with alarm at the flurry of instincts rumbling through her gut. She whipped around to see Christianne perched by the window with a spooky smile on her face.

"Mommy, I want ice cream."

Buffy gasped as she slowly edged back toward the door.

"I'm not your mom," she barked.

Christianne giggled as Buffy reached the bathroom door. She gasped when Katie suddenly appeared in front of the door.

"Can we watch a movie mommy?"

"I'm not your mom!" Buffy shouted.

As Christianne skipped away from the window, Travis appeared near the sill with a smile.

"Can I stay up another hour mommy?"

Buffy stumbled back as Christianne, Katie and Travis tugged on her sleeves.

"You know I'm not your mom!" Buffy growled as she pushed the demonic kids away.

"Don't make them mad mommy," Christianne said with a pout.

"I don't like when they're mad," Katie added.

Travis simply stared at Buffy with ghostly eyes as three more kids suddenly appeared in the bathroom, blocking the window and door, trapping her inside.

Sam eyed the large pile of red dirt outside a house still under construction. He glanced at his watch and blew out an impatient sigh. He pushed off toward the entrance and crept inside. He wandered around and noticed several cages lined up in a dusty, empty room. He rushed over to the cage and examined the frightened child cowering inside.

"Hey, hey, it's okay, I'm not going to hurt you," he soothed.

Sam went down the row of cages examining all the kids who were visibly traumatized. He tugged on the iron locks when his sights took notice of the only adult in a cage. The older woman was tattered and exhausted as she slumped against the cage. Sam eyed the logo on her blazer and widened his eyes in a panic. He shot to his feet and cautiously eyed the entrance. He yanked out his cell phone and hit speed dial.

Dean heard the flush of water running upstairs for several minutes before the sound dissipated. He tensed up when he heard an eerie sound near the back of the house. He snuck into the kitchen and looked around several times before he instinctually drifted into the yard. He scanned the barren yard for any changeling kids. He pushed toward the fence line and glanced up at the bedroom window next door but it was shaded from view. He backed away from the fence and froze when he heard something odd in the air.

He very slowly turned his sights to see...nothing in front of him but his instincts pulled his eyes down to the grass. He widened his eyes in dread as the garden hose snaked across his boots and rapidly coiled tightly around his body like a python attacking its prey. The garden hose unspooled at lightning cracking speed and wound several times around his neck, sharply squeezing the air out of his lungs.

Dean tugged desperately at the hose as he choked for breaths. The hose snapped him down to the ground and whipped him across the lawn, slamming him into a wood column of the patio overhang.

Sam paced through the unfinished house as he hit speed dial. After two rings, voicemail picked up. Sam heaved an anxious breath and stepped outside the door onto the dusty walkway.

"Dean, I found the house with the real kids, they're okay but there's a changeling mom out in the neighborhood! The demon is masquerading as the realty agent! Call me as soon as you get this message!"

Sam ran back inside and addressed the kids.

"I'm going to come back as soon as possible, you should be safe here. I have to help your moms."

Sam darted out of the unfinished home and bounded back into the neighborhood. He apprehensively fished out his phone and tried dialing Dean again. After getting voicemail, he blew out a breath of frustration as he darted his eyes around the street.

Buffy sucked in a deep breath as she felt her heartbeat hammering through her ribcage. Her hands curled into fists as she shifted her eyes over the demon kids surrounding her. She caught sight of their reflections in the mirror and widened her eyes when she was faced with their true forms.

Travis giggled and hopped onto Buffy's back.

"I want a piggy back ride!"

Suddenly, all the changelings in the bathroom started pawing at Buffy. Buffy heard a snarling in her ear and looked in the mirror to see the demon Travis trying to bite into her neck. She growled and threw her body weight forward, picking him off. She flattened him on the floor as the remainder of kids kept trying to crawl on her, intent on getting to her neck. She kicked them away using full force, knowing she was dealing with demons and not children. She frantically scrambled across the floor as the demon kids scratched at her eyes and arms and legs.

Buffy screamed as she struck the demon child with her elbow and sent him flying across the bathroom. Several other demons tried attacking her from different sides as more changeling children flashed into the bathroom, practically filling the entire space.

Buffy sucked in another breath, trying to maintain her composure as all the demon children relentlessly attacked her...

Sam growled in his throat after trying Dean for the fourth time.

"Dammit Dean, where are you?"

Sam spotted the Impala parked at the foot of Farmer Street, hugging the curb of a condo that was up for sale. Dean could have been in any number of houses lining the street. He deliberately parked in a general area to be discreet about where he was. Sam already had his suspicions but he didn't have the time to go door to door searching for his one track minded brother.

Sam heaved a sigh as he bounded down the sidewalk, looking from house to house for some kind of clue about where his brother was hanging out.

"Excuse me young man, do you need help with something? You look lost."

Sam bolted to a stop when he saw a woman in her fifties with her dog, strolling down the opposite end of the sidewalk. She drew a friendly smile as she approached him.

"Um, no I'm not lost, I'm um, looking for someone."

The woman widened her smile.

"Well, you're in luck because I'm the town directory you could say. I know everyone and anyone, even know when they moved here."

"Really? Wow."

The woman shifted into a proud smile.

"Name's Dana Sugarman, who can I help you find?"

Sam shined his immense relief at his fortune of crossing Dana's path. He remembered bits and pieces of his brother's silly elations over the expectant young mom.

"Uh well, I'm looking for...a girl..."

Sam reviewed his brother's typical description of most girls he met: hot, hot and hot. He revised the description and pried a bashful expression over his face.

"A beautiful, beautiful girl," he added. "Gosh, she's just really beautiful Mrs. Sugarman...beyond...words..."

Sam dug his right foot into the sidewalk and dropped his eyes, over exaggerating a shy smile.

"But um, I'm kind of...embarrassed to say this but, she's in the...family way but...still SO beautiful...I...met her at the...coffee shop...a few times but I haven't gotten the nerve to say hi because her beauty is just wow so...intimidating."

Sam held his 'aw shucks' face for a long moment.

"Oh my! Aren't you just a doll!" Dana gasped.

Dana pressed a hand over her heart and shined a pleasant smile.

"I know you are just the nice, young man that lovely girl is looking for."

"So you know who I'm talking about?"

Dana nodded confidently.

"Yes, Miss Buffy Summers, moved in two weeks ago, nice young lady, definitely could use a gentleman like you in her life to look after her because my goodness she is quite the pretty thing. Why I heard just the other day that some sleazy young guy hit on her at our neighborhood barbeque, isn't that awful?"

Sam swallowed a huge chuckle in his throat and kept his shy expression pulled over his face.

"Oh, um wow, yeah, that's...awful that a sleazy guy is trying to get his meat hooks into her," he said. "Um, anyway, do you know where I can find her? I um, I thought tonight would be the night I could say 'hello'."

"Aw, that's just so sweet how nervous you are!" Dana remarked with a grin. "Yes, she's four houses down on the left, bright green mailbox, you can't miss it."

"Okay, thank you Mrs. Sugarman."

"You're welcome, good luck!"

"Thanks."

Dana tugged on the dog leash and threw Sam an encouraging smile before she ambled down the sidewalk.

Sam darted four houses down and spotted the green mailbox. He raced up to the door and rapped several times without any answer. He developed a sinking feeling in his stomach that Dean was upstairs with Buffy doing something he shouldn't be. He couldn't even digest what Dean was crossing off his 'bucket list' at this moment. Dean had been on a runaway train of wish fulfillment since he had come to terms with his inevitable death, and god knows ninety percent involved women and other things Sam didn't care to think about. Apparently, not even pregnant women were off limits to his brother as he pushed closer to his expiration date.

Sam shook his head when he heard a scuffling sound echoing from the back yard. He wandered along the fence line and checked for passerby before he hopped into the backyard. He quickly paced alongside the house until he reached the grassy clearing of the yard.

Sam widened his eyes in fear when he saw Dean wrapped in the coils of a garden hose, suffocating to death.

"Dean!"

Sam bolted over as Dean flailed around on the patio, barely hanging onto consciousness.

Sam whipped out his knife and frantically cut away at the garden hose. He looked down into his brother's eyes and saw the deep dread flaring within. Sam furiously scored the hose until after a very long and tense minute, he was able to cut through it. He yanked sharply on the hose, pulling it off and over Dean's head.

Dean gasped heavily as Sam spun the hose off his body and tossed it aside. Sam helped Dean sit up as he continued to bellow deeply for breath.

"How'd you find me?" he wheezed.

Sam frowned at his brother's annoyed expression despite saving his ass.

"I'll explain later," Sam moaned. "There's a changeling mom and it's wearing the face of a realty agent!"

Dean continued to wheeze as this revelation rippled through his mind. His eyes widened with recognition.

"Sonofabitch," he grunted.

"What?"

Dean shot to his feet and brushed away the immense dizziness spinning through his head as he tore through the kitchen.

Seeing the immense horror on his brother's face, Sam took chase after him as he bolted up the stairs. Dean flew down the hall and whipped his eyes around. He saw the light bleeding under a door and hurriedly raced over. He knocked anxiously on the door.

"Buffy? It's me!"

Dean yanked on the doorknob and found it locked. He felt his panic thicken ten fold when he heard a loud crash inside the bathroom.

"Crap!"

Dean edged back from the door a few steps before he rammed his shoulder hard into it. He grunted in frustration as he darted back and kicked the door in several times until it finally started to heave forward. Sam reached the foot of the hall as Dean kicked the door completely in.

Dean widened his eyes in complete dread when at least a dozen changeling kids were attacking Buffy from all sides, relentlessly jumping at her as she threw them off her body.

Sam blinked rapidly to take in the melee that had broken out in the small bathroom as his ears flooded with a combination of noises. Practically the entire neighborhood of demonic children were jumping and lunging and scratching at Buffy, who he now realized was pretty skilled in her defensive attacks. He had seen a lot of extraordinary things in his time hunting but seeing a small girl in the family way with a fearless expression on her face as she flung pint sized demons across the room was not something he had witnessed very often, if at all. He watched Buffy in awe for a little bit as she instinctively kept changelings from attacking her front side, drawing her body slightly forward and settling her elbows against her abdomen. As two kids jumped on her back, she titled her head back to cover her neck, preferring to take hits to her shoulder.

Sam blinked rapidly again as four kids jumped on Buffy and she flicked them away, roaring with anger. Not only was she skilled in defensive combat but she had a fierce confidence as she attacked, on top of that, she was indeed, quite a beautiful girl. He suddenly realized just why Dean had been so reluctant to help him find the real kids.

A high pitched wail cut the air as the changeling mom flashed into the room, flaring her demonic face. She snuck up behind Buffy as she wrestled with more kids. Dean lunged at the changeling mom and slammed her into a wall. The changeling shrieked and attacked him as Sam jumped into the group of demon kids and picked a few off of Buffy.

For several minutes, Dean punched the hell out of the changeling mom as Sam jumped in to pry several kids off of Buffy's back. Buffy yelped as a four more demon kids charged her. She stumbled back into the bathtub and fell into the water. Two kids hung off Sam's long arms and snarled at him. Sam wedged his arms together, smashing the two kids into each other.

The remainder of the changelings jumped into the tub and started ferociously attacking Buffy. She thrashed in the bathtub, slamming her arms into several changelings and hurling them away from her until she felt a sting in the back of her head from the impact of knocking it against the tub. She inhaled a deep breath when her face hit the warm water and a swarm of changelings dove in with her.

Dean felt his panic rising thirty fold when he saw Buffy fighting the kids beneath the water. Sam had his hands full picking off changeling kids that kept charging at him. Dean held his breath until Buffy popped her head out of the water after a second. She gasped deeply as the changelings clawed at her face. Buffy defensively threw her arms over her swollen belly and lashed out with her feet, sending each changeling that attacked her flying out of the tub. Her eyes welled with terror as her ears blared with the little heartbeat within her belly. She gasped for breath as raw emotion thickened in her throat.

Buffy growled and channeled all her rage through her bare feet, kicking fiercely at the changelings skittering around her body. Demon Travis, Christianne and Katie pushed her head beneath the water as others incessantly tried climbing over her each time she flung them away. Her own heartbeat drummed rapidly in her throat as her breaths grew staggered in her seemingly endless attack against the hungry changelings...

Dean punched the changeling mom hard in the face several times as his eyes pulled over to the bathtub again. The changelings were rabidly trying to hold Buffy underwater to weaken her defenses. For nearly two minutes, Buffy didn't drift back up over the surface as all the changeling kids focused on this strategy of holding her head under the water until she stopped resisting. Feeling the overflow of panic flooding through his system, Dean had to get to Buffy before his worst fears actualized.

"Shit!" he growled as he slammed his fist into the changeling mom. "Sam!"

Dean threw momma demon into Sam who swiftly caught her and started pummeling her in the face. Dean quickly shot across the bathroom and dove toward the tub. He kicked his feet out and slammed them into a pile of changelings, knocking them over like bowling pins. As the crowd of changelings snarled and rained their attack on him, he sharply yanked Buffy above the surface of the water and pulled her out of the tub. He curled one arm around her body and scrambled with her across the bathroom, kicking at the changelings jumping toward his feet. He rolled Buffy to the floor and settled her against a wall before he curled himself against her, using his back to shield her protruding abdomen. He punched away several changelings that charged him and kept Buffy tucked within the frame of his arms.

Buffy rolled her eyes open just after she felt a sharp tug of her body being pulled from the water. Dean gripped her firmly as he dragged her across the bathroom floor, fending off attacks from the changelings. Her head spun with dizziness as water filled her lungs. She impulsively snapped her fist out as a changeling managed to crawl on top of her. Dean swiftly flattened the demon and pulled her into a corner of the bathroom, setting her against a wall. She choked up a mouthful of water as Dean used his own body to shield her from the changelings attacks.

Her eyes flooded with fear as Dean boxed her into the corner and absorbed most of the blows from the changelings. In her blurring vision, she made out one single look from Dean that settled her screaming nerves, it was a look that told her she could stop fighting because he had vowed to protect the life of her baby and he wasn't about to break that promise. The determination flared brightly in his eyes and knitted his face. She gasped shakily as her head throbbed and her eyelids fluttered open and shut in fatigue.

Sam slammed the changeling mom into a floor length mirror beside the door. The changeling mom growled and charged at Sam. Dean glanced up at the counter and noticed the candle burning inside a glass holder. He plucked the glass candle holder and flung it at a changeling kid. The changeling flamed up and vanished, but a second later, reappeared in the bathroom, snarling.

Dean widened his eyes in surprise.

"What? Why the hell didn't that work?" he muttered.

In between fielding punches on the changelings attacking him to get to Buffy, Dean swept his eyes around the room and assessed Sam's fight with the changeling mom. It finally dawned on him why lighting up the kid failed to destroy it.

"Dammit," he grumbled.

Dean glanced down at Buffy who seemed to be fading into fatigue. She had a large gash on her forehead and her arms were scratched and bloodied. Dean flipped himself around, using the front of his body to take hits from the changelings. With one hand he attacked with punches, while he sprawled an arm out to the counter to snatch the trigger lighter Buffy had used to light up the candle.

He noticed a bottle of hairspray and picked that up too, improvising a new weapon, since in his rush to get upstairs, he had inadvertently forgot to pick up his torching device. He caught Sam's eyes and threw him a signal.

Sam acknowledged his brother's signal and gripped the changeling tighter, punching her several times until he threw her against the bathroom counter. He pinned her against the counter, just a hair away from Dean who was crouched in the corner.

Dean quickly clicked the trigger lighter and drew a flame to a hairspray bottle.

"Open up and say AH!" he growled as he angled the hairspray bottle spout across the flame and slammed on the pump.

The changeling shrieked as a large fireball hit her face and quickly consumed her body. In a flash, the changeling mom burned up into thin air.

"That's for choking me up bitch," Dean barked as he watched her burn away.

Several more wails echoed in the bathroom as all the changeling kids burst into fire and burned away until only Sam, Dean and Buffy were left inside.

Sam and Dean heaved a collective sigh of relief when the room went quiet. In their years of training, the boys had learned to always wait a minute or two to confirm their kill because in their line of work, some demons didn't always go down on the first strike. After another minute passed, Sam and Dean shared another sigh of relief when the changeling mom didn't make another appearance.

Dean forced several breaths of air through his lungs as his eyes shifted around the destruction in the room. The anxiety and dread he usually kept buried deep inside during a fight, was now beginning to ripple to the surface.

"Talk about a feeding frenzy, damn piranhas," he groaned.

Dean swung around to check on Buffy, she was crouched in the corner, soaking wet from the bathtub battle. She was hugging her knees as her eyes were dilated and thick with moisture.

Sam took in the dramatic shift in Buffy's demeanor as her face shrouded with a heavily remorseful look. When she started shuddering violently, Dean yanked a towel off the rack and wrapped it around her body. Sam shifted awkwardly in his stance as he lingered in the doorway.

Dean pushed away some damp tendrils of blonde hair that matted over her eyes.

"Hey, it's all over now," he soothed.

Dean gazed at Buffy for a long minute as she let out a deep breath but didn't respond verbally. She simply stared off and continued to shiver under the towel. Her lips quivered as her eyes thickened with more moisture.

Dean felt trepidation tugging at his system again as he glanced over his shoulder at Sam.

"Go get all the kids home Sam," he grunted.

Sam gulped and quickly retreated into the hallway. Dean rubbed her towel draped shoulders and pulled an encouraging expression over his face. Most likely, Buffy was suffering from some emotional shock and he had to keep her nerves under control.

"You're gonna be okay," he assured.

Buffy finally displayed a prominent reaction, shaking her head as her eyes drifted to her stomach.

"Baby," she said very softly.

Dean absorbed her heavily worried look as she continued to shake and a few tears rolled down her cheeks.

"I'll run you to the hospital," he said as he scooped her up into his arms.

A breath later, Dean charged down the stairs and out of the house, running toward his car. He fumbled with his keys as he checked on Buffy, still shaking and unresponsive. He tucked her inside the passenger seat, strapped the belt over her and raced to the other side.

Within a minute, Dean flew down the road toward Cicero County General. As he tore around a corner, he glanced at Buffy who hadn't uttered another word. He reached a hand over and gently patted her shoulder.

"I made you speechless huh?" he said with a forced smile.

He tried to force out a laugh but he was too gripped with anxiety to manage even a stable breath. He pumped down on the gas pedal and veered sharply around the corner, screeching up to the hospital entrance.

Dean blew through the ER entrance and called for help as he cradled Buffy in his arms. Several triage nurses and a doctor ran up to him to assist.

"She uh...she's in shock, slipped in the bathtub and fell on...a glass candle thing."

The medical team whisked Buffy away behind doors leaving Dean to stew in his anxiety.

Dean paced around the ER waiting room, having no bearing on how much time had passed. He heard his heart beat thundering in his ear drums as he tried to walk his intense apprehension off, but the longer he went without any updates about Buffy the more he felt his fears kicking up. He banished all the horrid scenarios creeping through his mind as he drifted back and forth in the waiting area. He had no sense of time, it felt like ten years had gone by and he wondered – for just a millisecond, if hell was going to be the same way, if one day was like one year in the afterlife, one year of endless, unimaginable torture...

Dean shut his eyes, sucked in a breath and banished THOSE horrid thoughts from his mind as well. He swept a hand through his hair and let out a staggered breath when a single dreadful thought had escaped through his mental barrier. What if the promise he made to protect that kid had already been broken? Why hadn't he figured out there was a changeling mom? Why didn't he get to Buffy sooner? What if baby Summers didn't make it, on his goddamn watch...

Dammit Dean, stay positive.

After who knows how long, Doctor Vaughn, an older woman in her forties, finally emerged from the doors and approached him.

Dean held his breath as Vaughn maintained a composed manner.

"All her tests came back - other than a couple of scrapes and bruises, she escaped any major injuries," Vaughn. "She's suffering from emotional trauma but physically, she's good considering the stumble she took."

Dean released a huge breath of relief as he massaged the net of knots that had formed in the back of his neck.

"And the kid?" he asked with a guarded expression.

Doctor Vaughn drew a wide smile.

"She's strong like her mother, she's just fine."

"She?" Dean said as he shifted into a smile.

"Yep, congratulations."

Dean faded out of his smile and shifted awkwardly in his stance.

"Uh, no, no, no, I'm not the...I'm just...a friend."

Doctor Vaughn nodded and flipped through a clipboard.

"Well, I'm going to keep her overnight, so she can go home in the morning," the doctor remarked. "You can see her now if you wish."

"Uh okay, thanks doc."

The doctor nodded and wandered down another hall.

Dean dug his fingers deeper into the back of his neck, trying to drive the tension out as he reached Buffy's room. He hung in the doorway and watched her as she stared out a window, clutching something in her hand. Her eyes drifted over to meet his.

"Hi," he said softly. "The doc said you're going to be fine. You and the kid. That's good news."

Dean ambled into the room and edged up to her bed. He glanced at the photo clasped in her hand and smiled when he saw it.

"First baby photo huh? Wow."

Buffy stared up at him with glassy eyes for a long minute until her face cracked with penance. She burst into tears and started sobbing hysterically.

Dean gulped with extreme awkwardness, uncertain whether he should stay or go but something stirred within him that kept his feet planted on the floor. He slipped a hand around her back and gently clutched her in a comforting manner. Buffy curled herself against him and continued to weep softly into his shoulder.

For several minutes, the air was painted with her soft sobs as she clung to Dean. She couldn't express her gratitude over his unwavering determination to keep her and her baby safe from the clutches of evil. She felt so incredibly guilty for poking her nose into the demon world, for being so reckless with her baby's life but Dean had crashed into town and refused to leave her alone.

"It's okay," he soothed as he stroked her back.

Buffy sucked in a ragged breath as her cheeks were stained with tears. Her eyes rolled up to take in Dean, so much more than just a young guy who had shaken up her annoyance with a bad pick up line. He lived in a world painted with death and unimaginable evil and his passion over destroying those dark forces was equaled to hers, at least when she was still hunting. Her perception of him was forever changed.

"Thanks to you," she acknowledged softly.

Buffy dropped her head back on his shoulder and let go of all the emotions that had raged within her. She vowed from that day on, she was going to resist the urge to get involved with the demon world ever again.

Dean shined his exhaustion as he breezed through the motel door nearly an hour later. He let out a yawn and eyed Sam as he was tapping on his laptop.

"Hey," Sam said. "Where've you been?"

"The hospital," Dean said as he peeled off his jacket.

"Oh, um, is Buffy okay?"

"Yeah, all the real kids get back to their moms?"

Sam nodded as he set his laptop aside.

"Yeah, they all ran off to their homes," Sam imparted. "So I didn't really stick around to try and explain away to the moms what happened."

"Right, leave it for the town meeting next week," Dean replied.

Dean heaved another yawn as he glanced at the clock. It was almost midnight.

"Geez, where the hell did the time go?" he said as he shook his head.

"I guess time flies when you're having fun with a 'hot mom' huh Dean?"

Dean shot his eyes to Sam and took in his brother's amused expression. Dean frowned with resentment.

"I told YOU I was working," he barked. "Or did you NOT see the entire changeling population showing up for an after dinner snack?"

Sam blew out a breath and nodded in acknowledgment.

"I didn't say you weren't working Dean, I'm just curious as to why out of all the moms with changeling kids, you stuck like glue to Buffy, considering her child isn't one that could be mimicked," Sam pointed.

Dean kicked his shoes off and sighed heavily.

"I just...had a theory about her – which turned out to be right unfortunately," he reasoned.

Dean rolled his head around, popping the cracks in his tense muscles.

"I'm gonna hop in the shower, then hit the sack," he said.

"Kay," Sam said as Dean drifted into the bathroom.

Sam waited for Dean to shut the door and run the water valves before he got to his feet. He fished through a bag and dug out their dad's journal. He glanced at the bathroom door before he settled in a chair and cracked the journal open.

Dean hadn't bookmarked any pages in the journal to purposefully veil what had garnered so much of his attention earlier. Sam casually fanned the pages of the journal and noticed two pages were stuck together. He carefully peeled the pages apart and took pause at a clear sticky substance in each corner. He sniffed it and snorted in amusement when he recognized the aroma of cinnamon apples, as in apple pie, one of Dean's weaknesses.

Sam snickered in his throat as he thought of the old expression 'getting your hands caught in the cookie jar'. Despite his effort to remain tight lipped about just what he was reading with as much enthusiasm as a car magazine, Dean had been done in by an apple pie. Sam snickered again as he sifted through the notes in their dad's journal about something called a Slayer.

Later the next morning, Buffy swung the door open and shined her surprise when she saw Dean. Dean was pleased to see Buffy looking significantly better than when he left the hospital last night. She had a small bandage on her right arm and a few other little Band-Aids plastered on her neck and forehead. He never would have known she had been fending off hungry changelings if he hadn't been in the thick of the fight himself.

"Hey."

Buffy pushed a lock of hair behind her ear and smiled, tugging on her snug 'baby on board' tee shirt as it crept up her stomach, exposing a little of her swollen midriff.

"Hey," she said. "I thought you would have taken off by now."

Dean sucked in a breath as his eyes drifted to her hands pulling down her tee shirt in a self conscious manner. Her blonde hair was immensely lustrous and pulled loosely in a low ponytail while her hazel eyes simply sparkled in the beams of sunlight draping over her front door. He was completely taken aback that he was still feeling the tug of attraction in his body as he looked her over. Maybe Sam was right, maybe he was really screwed up but then again, Buffy was more than just a girl.

"In a bit actually," he said. "But I uh...I just wanted to swing by and check on...things."

"Oh. Well, come on in."

Buffy widened the door and shuffled into her living room. Dean widened his eyes when he instinctually checked out her ass in a pair of snug fitting workout pants. He stamped his eyes shut for a second, drew out a breath and brushed away the usual assortment of rated X thoughts that flashed through his mind whenever his sights locked in on that luscious female body part. He blew out a second breath as he opened his eyes and tapped the door shut behind him. As he ambled into the living room, he found Buffy sealing up a moving box with clear tape. He swept his sights around and noticed the living room had been cleared of personal belongings.

"Packing up and skipping town huh?"

Buffy let out a sigh as she finished taping up a box.

"Yeah, I'm not really cut out for suburban life, at least not in this state."

"Well, I don't blame you for changing up addresses considering the welcoming party you had."

"Yeah, no kidding."

Buffy drifted to another stack of opened boxes and stuffed a few things wrapped in newspaper inside.

"You need some help with these? I can kick out of here when I'm done."

Buffy shook her head as she started wrapping up her dinette set in newspaper.

"No, that's okay, I've got some friends coming in later to help me with the rest."

"Oh, good," he said.

Buffy stuffed the wrapped dishes in a box and shuffled toward the kitchen.

"Can I get you anything? A sandwich for the road?"

Dean lit up with an appreciative smile.

"Uh, no, you don't have to go to the trouble."

Buffy yanked open the fridge and took out a small container of milk along with some bread and sandwich items.

"I was going to eat anyway," she said.

She stacked several pieces of bread on the counter and gave an incredulous look.

"I feel like I eat ALL the time now," she moaned.

Dean absorbed her guilty expression and chuckled.

"Well, there's nothing wrong with that, I mean you've got an extra stomach to feed. Me, I'm just a shameless glutton," he cracked as he patted on his own stomach.

Buffy found herself joining him in amused laughter before they both settled down.

"So where you off to?"

Dean shrugged as he leaned against the island counter and found himself relishing in the sight of Buffy participating in such a menial task of making a sandwich.

"Don't really have anything lined up just yet," he said. "But something always comes up."

Buffy flashed a knowing look and nodded.

"Yeah, I hear you."

"So, where are you moving to?"

"Little town in Illinois called Cohasset," Buffy answered. "There's a new community there, no crime, good schools and it's a couple miles from my aunt's house, so, free babysitting."

Dean shined his disbelief.

"You're moving to another small town?"

Buffy pieced together a sandwich and shrugged.

"Yeah but my aunt's helping me out with the lease for a couple months until I get settled so I can't really pass up that offer. Slaying didn't come with a retirement plan you know?"

She took a bite as Dean nodded in acknowledgment.

"Did you get home okay this morning?"

Buffy batted a hand in the air.

"Yeah, I liked the walk back, gave me time to clear my head and...say goodbye to Dodge," she said with a silly smile. "Who is Tamara McGillicuddy by the way? The doctor kept calling me that and since I was kind of out of it last night, I didn't really correct her so...was that your doing?"

"Guilty as charged," Dean replied with a smirk. "The hospital needed your information in order to treat you and since I didn't know much other than your name, I uh...gave them some 'other' information."

Dean let out a deep chuckle as Buffy mocked a taunting look.

"Oh, so you didn't find enough info on me when you were snooping in my house huh?"

Buffy flashed a teasing smile as Dean conceded with his own mock taunting look.

"Well, had I more time..."

Buffy rolled her eyes but giggled in amusement.

"Anyway, you mentioned you were lacking in funds at the moment and since that piranha mom bitch tried to go to town on you, I thought the least the government can do is pay for your medical expenses," he said with a sly smile.

"I'm not even going to ask how you managed that," she said.

"Yeah, it's better not to," Dean said.

Buffy finished up her sandwich as Dean glanced at the time. As Buffy sipped from her glass of milk, Dean rummaged through his wallet and took out some bills, putting them out on the counter. He pushed the bills toward Buffy as she set her glass down. She blinked in surprise when she counted at least three hundred bucks in twenty dollar bills.

"What's that for?"

Dean shrugged casually as he shifted his weight against the counter.

"I don't know, birthday present for the kid I guess," he stated softly. "I uh, I've got a lot going on in the next couple of months with work so uh, I'm probably going to miss it, so, buy something nice for baby Summers from me and Sam."

Buffy gasped in complete amazement at the level of his generosity.

"I can't take this," she stressed. "I mean, hunting isn't a paid gig so you should keep that."

Dean held his hand up in protest.

"Well, I'm not taking it back, so you're forced to spend it – which being a chick, I'm sure won't be too hard for you."

Dean chuckled to himself as Buffy lingered in her state of awe.

"I uh, I don't know what to say."

Dean mocked a disgruntled frown.

"I have yet to hear a 'thanks Dean for saving my life', or 'gee Dean, guess you were right about sitting this one out'," he cracked as he shifted into an amused grin.

Buffy snorted softly and rolled her eyes before she shifted into a sincere expression.

"Thanks Dean, for...everything. I really do mean that," she replied with an appreciative smile. "You've really proven a lot to me."

"Oh? Like how I'm not a big lying jerk with charm to spare, huh?" he pointed with another amused grin.

Buffy displayed her genuine confusion as she furrowed her brows.

"Huh?"

Dean swept a hand in the air.

"Never mind," he said dismissively. "I should get going."

Dean pushed off toward the hallway as Buffy snatched up her extra sandwich and stuffed it in a plastic bag. She held it up as she walked him to the door.

"Have a safe trip," she said. "And...if you do by chance pass through my town, look me up."

"You're just saying that to be nice, aren't you?"

Buffy shrugged as she drew an amused smile.

"You did manage to do your job," she pointed.

"You were holding your own."

"Still, my odds are always better with a little help from my friends," she remarked. "They've gotten me through some pretty hairy battles back in the day. So consider yourself the newest inductee into my gang of friends, playing for 'Team Good'. Sam too."

Dean flashed an enthusiastic smile.

"Well hell, if that's not a reason to keep kicking evil ass, I don't know what is," he said emphatically.

Buffy pulled the door open and gave a hopeful smile.

"I know you've got work to do but...if you do find yourself not too far from my town after the first of May, drop in and hopefully you can meet her."

"Oh, that's the due date huh? May first?"

Buffy nodded as Dean fell into reflective silence. May first kicked off the countdown to his earthly departure and as much as he hoped to see Buffy again, he knew it was probably best to stay away. She had endured through so much evil crap that he wasn't about to mar what she had been blessed with, a real, solid shot at a life that no longer involved fighting the supernatural. She was going to fulfill the dream that was always drifting further from his own grasp and now, that dream was going to die away when he did.

Buffy Summers, the former champion of the world, was going to be a mom soon, she was going enjoy true happiness, a normal life, reaping the rewards of her thankless duty and there was no way he was going to darken any of that by burdening her with the truth about what was in store for him come mid-May. He had vowed to protect her future generation, another feisty, strong Summers girl who was going to fill Buffy's life up with so much joy and god damn anyone who took that away from her.

Despite her open invitation to stop by in the next handful of months, Dean knew with certainty that he couldn't see her again. Evil still touched his life, corrupting and sacrificing people he cared about and he would rather die than to see Buffy and her kid get hit in the crossfire. She deserved to settle into her new life, she deserved to be happy and in his last dying days, Dean swore to himself that he would stay away.

He had done his job and it was time to move on, just like he always did. He had insured the future of two lives and that was enough for him. He had no personal attachments other than Sam. Buffy had a great life, but it wasn't his life and pretending it could be was just pointless.

He was fortunate and grateful to have met her and he would treasure the experience of getting to know her but there could be no more. He had absorbed the reality of his upcoming trip to hell and falling into silly dreams about settling down would only crush what remained of his fractured heart.

Buffy suddenly squeaked, breaking Dean from his heavy inner musings. He noticed her eyes widening in alarm.

"Woah!"

Dean flashed his concern as she gasped.

"What? Is something wrong?"

Buffy shook her head in assurance as she patted her belly.

"No, no, she's just kicking up a storm, caught me by surprise because they haven't been this strong before...it's almost like she's...talking to you, like she's saying...'bye Dean and thank you'...in her own way."

Buffy squeaked in awe when she felt more distinct tugs against her belly. She shined a silly smile when she noticed Dean gazing at her stomach with a curious expression.

"Did you want to..." she started as her eyes dropped to her abdomen.

Dean shifted his eyes away.

"Uh, no, no, I wasn't um..."

"It's okay if you want to," she said.

Dean hesitated for a long minute as he stared at her stomach. He would never meet the little Summers...this was his one chance, though not the most traditional to become acquainted with the life he had helped save. Yet it still felt awkward. This was something she should be sharing with her family, her friends, not some guy who barged into her life and was skipping town in a few minutes. He should just politely decline and take off.

"Uh, okay," he found himself saying instead.

Dean widened his eyes in a self-scolding manner as he lingered in the doorway. Buffy snickered softly as she eyed his reluctance. She gently gripped his wrist, raised his hand, and pressed it against her bump. After a long minute of waiting, he looked confused.

"I uh, I don't feel...anything," he moaned.

Buffy shined her amazement when she caught his look of disappointment.

"Just give it a sec," she assured.

Buffy moved his hand slightly.

"Hi baby girl, say hi to Dean," she said. "Or goodbye."

After a brief second without any action, Dean widened his eyes when he felt a significant popping sensation against his hand.

"Holy cow!" he gasped. "That's uh...that's one hell of a kick..."

Buffy squeaked again when the baby seemed to respond to his voice, drumming her feet excitedly against her stomach. Dean dropped his mouth open in complete fascination.

"Wow, that is just...amazing."

Buffy inhaled a shaky breath as the moisture in her eyes thickened. Dean dropped his hand and took in her expression.

"Are you okay?"

Buffy nodded as she sniffed softly.

"Yeah, it's just um, an emotional moment for me," she admitted.

"Yeah, I'm sure it is," he acceded. "Thanks for uh...for sharing it."

Buffy beamed a smile as Dean slowly stepped onto the porch.

"It's the least I could do after everything you did."

As Buffy clutched her stomach, Dean soaked in the sight of her maternal smile and etched the memory into his mind.

"Take care of yourself Summers," he said with a smile. "And no more tree lifting, okay?"

Buffy giggled loudly as she edged down the steps.

"No more hitting on moms to be," she teased.

"You're the first and last," he swore with a smirk.

"Good. Don't forget this," Buffy said as she handed him the sandwich.

"Oh, thanks."

Buffy pushed off her toes and threw her arms around Dean. Dean pushed down the emotions that threatened to swarm him, that threatened to change his mind about dropping in, that threatened to impede his acceptance of sticking to his deal with the demon but Buffy was making it damn hard to keep flushing the hope out of his mind. When she finally pulled away, he blew a breath out as she beamed a smile at him.

"You take care of yourself too Dean," she stressed. "I know what kind of world we live in so, watch your back, I'd hate for something bad to happen to you."

Dean felt his heart splinter into a thousand pieces as he caught the shake in her lips and the glistening of her eyes. He swallowed the agony gathering at the base of his throat as he pushed a wry smile over his face.

"See ya," he said as he forced all the muscles in his body to shift around and walk away before he totally lost it.

He walked quickly to his car and folded into the driver seat, returning the wave Buffy passed to him before she shut the door. As he peeled around the corner and pulled to a red light, he glanced at the hand that the little Summers had acknowledged. He usually never had difficulty leaving town and not looking back, for most of the people he helped out were complete strangers but now, as he sat at the traffic light, staring at his hand, remembering the vivid sensation of rapid bursts against his palm, he felt his throat constricting and his eyes watering as his bottled up emotion temporarily broke through his defenses.

"Dammit," he grunted softly when he realized he had already gotten too attached to both Summers girls.

Dean swatted away the small beads of desire stirring within him and whirled the Impala around another corner, bound toward the motel. Once Sam was in the car, he had to keep his eyes forward and never look back.


	4. Chapter 4

**Ch. 4 Life is but a Dream**

A/N: Dream a Little Dream of Me

Sam glanced at Dean as he headed for the motel room door.

"I need a beer man, I'll be back late probably," he said. "If at all if I find something tasty."

Dean cracked a silly grin as he slipped into his jacket and swiped the laptop from the table. Sam frowned as Dean reached the door.

"What do you need the laptop for?"

"Oh, I'd thought I'd catch up on the latest...you know viewings," Dean answered with a smirk.

Sam widened his eyes in appall when it registered what his brother was implying.

"You're...going to...look at porn – at a bar?"

Dean shrugged as he picked up his room key.

"Hey, you READ in bars," he cracked. "Anyway, don't wait up."

Sam rolled his eyes at his brother's shameless behavior.

"Night Sam," Dean said as he drifted out the door.

Sam shook his head before he heard the roar of the Impala peeling out of the parking lot. After a minute, Sam got up and dug out his dad's journal, sifting quickly through it. He fished out his phone and dialed Bobby.

"Sam," Bobby said gruffly.

"Hey Bobby, can I pick your brain for a minute?"

"Sure Sam, what do you need?"

Sam flipped to a certain page in the journal as he settled back against the headboard.

"What do you know about the Slayer?"

Sam reviewed the information he had previously pored over almost two months ago back in Cicero. He had been so involved in trying to find other avenues to break Dean from his deal with the Crossroads demon that he had pushed the Slayer stuff to the backburner. But as the days burned away without much success, something deep within Sam stirred, prompting him to revisit the information about the Slayer.

"The Slayer?" Bobby replied in an incredulous tone. "She's just a myth, bunch a tall tales shot around the saloons by drunks."

"Not according to dad's journal, he makes reference to Caleb and Rufus having met 'the myth'. Apparently, she saved their asses a few years ago."

"Huh, well I'll be a rabbit's bitch," Bobby grunted.

Sam frowned at the nonsensical statement before dismissing it.

"I've come across the lore but I never thought much of it since I ain't ever had a run in with no super powered demon hunter, why you asking?"

"It's very likely that Dean um, met her...in Cicero."

After a long lull of silence, Bobby responded.

"Are you shittin' me boy?"

"No."

"Well, what makes you think that?"

"She got in a jam – bunch of changelings attacked her and um, her...unborn baby...Dean helped her out but she displayed some very skillful defensive tactics of her own."

Another lull of silence hit the other line.

"Are you saying that not only did Dean meet THE Slayer but that she's in the family way?"

"Yeah."

"Well Jesus H. Christ, now I've really heard it all," Bobby grunted.

"Yeah, it's a rare situation since the lore says they only live to be about eighteen."

"Damn right you are Sam," Bobby affirmed. "They have a high mortality rate because of all the evil shit they take on the minute they get called. But how the hell can this girl be the Slayer if she's preggers? She can't still be fighting evil unless she's stupid and reckless."

Sam blew out a breath and raked a hand through his hair.

"No, she's not fighting evil, I mean, she looked settled into a normal life," Sam remarked. "From what I'm gathering from these notes, there's only one per generation, so either the world is out a champion or..."

"She's some kind of loophole," Bobby assessed.

"Is it possible there is another Slayer?"

"The fact that there IS such a thing as a girl demon hunter with freaky strength makes anything possible," Bobby replied. "So that's a good thought as any. What you thinking?"

Sam blew out another breath, certain he was probably reaching with his scenario. He didn't have a whole lot to go on from his dad's notes and nothing on the internet about the Slayer was concrete but then again, most of the cases he and Dean investigated sprung from just a small seed of mysterious and intriguing info.

"I guess I'm thinking, a big gun like a Slayer should have some contacts or resources that most hunters don't have access to or even think about..."

Sam was met with another lull of silence on the other line.

"So yer thinking the Slayer might be able to help with getting Dean out of his deal?"

"Yeah but, maybe I'm really stretching here. Buffy was probably the last of the Slayer line so it's probably pointless to pursue this angle."

"Well, have you tried askin' her?"

"No um, I haven't given this much thought until now, I've been so busy exploring other options."

"Well, what's stopping you now?"

"Dean would probably be livid if he ever found out," Sam replied. "He was very secretive about her and purposefully kept his whereabouts to himself when we were working that case in Cicero."

"A Slayer has to stay under the radar," Bobby acknowledged. "Just like hunters."

"Yeah, I'm sure that was part of his reasons for being so discreet."

"What was the other part?"

Sam silently recalled his brother's initial attraction to Buffy as he shifted his phone to his other ear.

"Um, I don't really know for sure," he said. "Dean hasn't really mentioned a whole lot about Buffy since we left Cicero."

"If she's retired, she shouldn't be too hard to find in a small town like Cicero," Bobby said. "Her number might even be listed if you know her full name."

"I do," Sam affirmed. "But Dean took the laptop so I'll have to wait until he gets back. Do you know how we could find her Watcher, maybe he'd be a good resource too?"

"I can ask around but it'd be a lot quicker just to call the source."

"Yeah, I'll look into it from my end, thanks for the help Bobby."

"No problem."

Sam hung up the phone and reviewed the notes in the journal one last time before putting it away. Knowing how his brother loved to brag about his victories with women, Sam had been immensely surprised that Dean hadn't clued him in to what happened in the hours he was holed up at Buffy's house.

Although he hadn't been able to witness too much interaction between Buffy and his brother, Sam had enough of a sense to know some kind of bond had been formed. It was natural for most of the people they helped out on cases to display their appreciation, often favoring Dean when it involved young and vulnerable women, but Buffy seemed to draw out a different reaction.

Usually when someone ended up in the hospital from injuries due to a demonic encounter, they would just make a phone call to check on their status. But Dean had rushed Buffy to the hospital and had remained there for several hours instead of just dropping her off. Sam had expected to hear more from Dean about Buffy other than her clean bill of health but he still remained reserved.

Sam eyed the clock on the nightstand and heaved a sigh. He couldn't do nearly as comprehensive a search without his laptop and who knew how long Dean was going to be out. There wasn't much he could do until the morning. Even if he managed to snake Buffy's number through a series of calls to information, it was pushing nine-thirty and he didn't want to disturb her bearing in mind how much sleep she could use before her baby arrived.

Sam picked up his notebook and went back to brainstorming.

"Can I get you something else hon?"

Dean briefly shifted his eyes from the laptop to acknowledge the waitress. He did a double take when he noticed the bronzed skinned dark haired beauty in her mid-thirties smiling at him, her shapely legs peeking out from a pair of high cut denim shorts. Her voice was smoky and friggin' sexy as his eyes floated over the snug white tank top that she filled out exceptionally well.

The previous waitress had been in her mid fifties and disgruntled the entire time she had taken his order so there must have been a shift change when he had been in the bathroom. And what a damn fine change it was.

His throat went dry from intense arousal as his sights honed in on the clear lace bra she was wearing beneath the tank top; she was not in the slightest bit self conscious that in the sharp light of the bar, you could completely see what she looked like without those pesky layers. His excitement shot a hundred fold as he bounced anxiously in his seat. It was like knowing what you were getting for Christmas but were forced to wait until the actual holiday to open your gift. He was already bursting at the seams since Christmas had come and gone in a flash. It would have been the perfect last Christmas if those damn pagan gods hadn't carved him up...

Dean batted away his rambling thoughts for a moment and flashed his most winning smile at the bronzed babe.

"You certainly can," he answered.

Dean chatted up the waitress for several minutes before she got pulled away by a group of beer guzzling bikers. As she passed by him on her way to the bar, she dropped a napkin at his table and threw him a flirtatious smile. Dean widened his eyes when he read the raunchy message scrawled on the napkin and whistled through his teeth. It was a good thing Sam wasn't expecting him anytime soon because based on that message, he was going to be out for a hell of a long time, maybe even the next two or three days.

Dean broke into a silly grin as he shifted his eyes back on the laptop. He had several news articles pulled up on the screen as he finished up his beer. After almost an hour of perusing several online issues of the Cohasset Chronicle, the town's main newspaper for any reports of unusual deaths, he didn't find anything that set off his alarm. He looked back at the history of the town and came across several yawn inspiring articles about Colonials or Quakers, he hadn't gotten passed the first few sentences to really iron out the ancestors of Cohasset when boredom struck him. What he did find amazing despite digging and digging, was that there was relatively no major crime in the town, it actually had one of the lowest rates in the county. In fact, Cohasset was ranked as one of the ten best towns in America to live and raise a family because of its booming economy, ample job opportunities, safe neighborhoods and abundance of weekend entertainment and night life for all ages.

As he scrolled through the tourist bureau's website, he read over some of the town's offerings. There was a major library with an onslaught of children's readings and activities, a recreational center, several handfuls of museums, dozens of kid friendly parks, holiday street festivals, and on and on and on.

Cohasset sounded like the perfect place for a retired Slayer to settle into her life. Dean drew a fond smile as he knocked his fourth beer back. He slapped his empty beer bottle down and shook his head. He had told himself he wasn't going to satisfy his growing curiosity over aspects of Buffy's life, like where she was living, if she was making new friends, if she was settling in well, if she was smiling as bright as the last time he had seen her, if she had a Christmas that went off without a demonic hitch, if someone caught her under the mistletoe...

Dean shook his head again, trying to cease his mind from floating away from reality. He had vowed to stay away but deep in the back of his mind, he could hear the soft tapping of little Summers' feet, resonating through his ears at that very moment. Sometimes that kid haunted him in his dreams just like her mom did, when through the thick reel of fantasies that flashed through his mind at night, the ex-Slayer snuck into his consciousness.

Dean sunk a little with remorse, having debated a great deal whether to send just a card for the Christmas holiday, just a little note for the New Year, but he had stopped himself every time he had the urge to keep in contact with Buffy. He hoped that as the weeks went by, her memory would fade from his mind, just as he hoped she would be too wrapped up in her own amazing new adventure to even waste a thought on him. Not that he even expected her to be thinking about him, though, he wondered every once in awhile, but she had more important people to focus on, specifically that kid.

In the grand scheme of things, who the hell was he to even contemplate where he fell in her life? It was one harrowing experience that brought them together but just like always, he had to go where the evil was, he couldn't plant his feet in a house, with a kid, that wasn't his life. He was raised a hunter and would die a hunter and that was cold, hard truth.

Dean worked on his fifth beer and banished his troubling thoughts. Baby Summers was coming into the world the day before he left it so there was no way he was ever going to meet her. There was simply no point in dropping by when the sheer sight of Buffy unearthed the desires he had spent many months burying, desires he would take with him to his fiery grave.

Dean sucked his beer down and forced himself to take ease in the fact that the Slayer had a sister and a group of friends acquainted with evil, that her naturally cautious nature and impending motherhood made her avoid situations that would cause her harm. Not only could Buffy take care of herself, but she had a close knit group to watch out for her, it was not his business anymore, nor his privilege to keep her safe. Raising her kid in Cohasset was her life now, HER LIFE, Dean reminded himself. He had to stop thinking about her, he had to stop feeding his curiosity, he had to stop dwelling on his disappointments.

As the hot waitress swept by him again, Dean met her eyes and pulled on the last of his beer. When she flashed him a suggestive smile, she sent him a blaring reminder of HIS life. After she picked up a tab, she sashayed over to his table. This was the only life he was going to have.

"So, interesting message," he said.

"It wasn't a message hon, it was a promise," she remarked with a sly smile.

Oh hell yeah...it was still a damn good life Dean thought as he knocked back another beer.

Buffy heaved a contented sigh as her band of friends roamed through her cute three bedroom townhouse unit. Most of her friends, except Giles who was bogged down with Council meetings in London, had come out to Cohasset to help prepare her for the pending arrival of her baby girl. Faith and Xander had spent many hours assembling baby furniture after Buffy had finally settled on a color scheme for her girl's room.

She had assigned Dawn the task of folding all the baby clothes and blankets the Slayerettes had sent her and putting them in bins in a closet. Thankfully, the unit came fully furnished so most of her personal items to unpack had been just small decorative pieces, her dining set and a couple kitchen appliances. After moving to Cohasset almost two and a half months ago, she spent only a few hours with Faith and Xander getting settled in.

Cohasset was a quaint but thriving town in Illinois with corn fields stretching for miles and red farmhouses adorning the one way roads. The town was just a half hour away from the university and was often frequented by the college crowds on the weekend. There was also a heavy tourist season during certain months that contributed to the town economy, allowing for more trendy businesses and centers to be built in the downtown district.

Buffy had expected to find mom and pop shops lining the downtown streets, coin Laundromats, old fashioned diners and hobby stores, so she was immensely impressed when instead she found many brand name retail stores, an outdoor mall that spanned over three miles of shops and many smaller shopping centers, along with a science center, a two story library that had daily activities for children, an assortment of manicured parks with playgrounds, a recreational center with mommy and me classes, major seasonal festivals, and so many more offerings.

On top of that, the typical residents were much younger than she had ever thought to find in a small town. Much of that was due to the close proximity of the university and cheaper off campus housing for cash strapped students, since the condos and apartment complexes in the area included utilities with the rental costs. Buffy had been grateful that her own lease had included utilities and free cable for the first three months.

It seemed to have something for each of her friends when they came to visit. Faith had already frequented the biker bars and night clubs along the main boulevard, Xander was in love with the historical movie theater that always seemed to have screenings of his favorite classics for just two dollars and the brand spanking new, two story Starbucks with a bookshop and WIFI pleased Dawn so Buffy was never lacking in entertaining her friends. And she just knew that Giles would die when he saw the assortment of cultural museums spread out through the district. She had been disappointed when he couldn't make it out for Christmas due to Council business, but he was venturing out in two weeks to see her.

The holidays had flown by in a whirlwind but they had been immensely enjoyable as Will, Xander, Faith, Dawn and a couple Slayerettes paid a surprise visit, camping out in her living room for a few days. She was just thrilled to have the company of her friends as the due date of her baby girl loomed in the New Year. In a couple more months, she was going to meet her little one and just grasping that fact had made her prone to spontaneous bouts of joyful weeping on an almost daily basis. If she wasn't weeping with joy, she was walking around in complete awe of her life. For so long she had been lagged with an enormous responsibility of keeping the world safe from evil, and now, since the rise of all the new Slayers, all she had to be concerned about was easing into her new life as a mom.

And though she was doing it alone, she was used to being on her own. She did have her aunt a few miles away to help out, and Dawn and the gang came out as often as they could when they weren't out saving the world, and she had already made a few friends with other young moms on her block, having occasional dinners with them. She had to pinch herself often just to confirm she wasn't dreaming.

Buffy was hopelessly in love with this town, with her home, with her new life and she was simply brimming with excitement the minute she woke up as it was one more day closer to May first. Feeling another bout of spontaneous blissful weeping, Buffy sniffed as she shifted her weight on the living room couch. Xander and Faith emerged from the backyard where they had been spiffing up the patio area.

"Okay, patio redecoration is done!" Xander roared with a grin.

Faith drew an amused smirk.

"Feel free to rearrange it after Xander leaves."

"Hey, I've been reading up on feng shui," Xander moaned.

Buffy snickered as Faith and Xander grabbed drinks from the fridge.

"Thanks for doing that guys."

"Need anything else before we skip out of here B?" Faith asked.

Buffy shook her head as she sipped her juice.

"No, you all are blessings."

"I knew it!" Dawn barked as she charged downstairs and stormed into the living room.

Buffy eyed her sister's immense scowl as she waved several sheets of paper around.

"I knew that guy was bad news," Dawn boasted bitterly.

"What are you talking about Dawnie?"

"Andrew just sent me these," Dawn replied. "Your friend Dean is a lying psycho killer."

Xander and Faith shared Buffy's look of wonder.

"What?"

Dawn sat down on the couch next to her sister and flashed a printout.

"Dean Winchester is DEAD."

"Huh?"

"That's the jerk that broke into your house in Cicero, right?"

"Uh, I never got his last name but I wouldn't think there are too many young hunters."

"Andrew ran a search and found these!"

Xander and Faith huddled around Buffy as she glanced at a mug shot of Dean.

"Woah, who's the tall drink of water B?" Faith asked, grinning from ear to ear.

"He's a lying criminal," Dawn spat.

Buffy shot an admonishing look at Dawn as she sifted to the next sheet revealing a federal warrant.

"He's wanted for murder," Dawn explained.

The next printout was of a news article about police confirming the death of a young man who killed a girl in St. Louis. Dawn tapped on the printout.

"See! This says he's DEAD so who was that guy that in Cicero huh?"

Buffy looked back at the mug shot photo.

"Well, um, unless he has a twin brother, I guess that's Dean," Buffy confirmed.

"You had a killer in your house!" Dawn lamented.

Buffy blew out a breath of exasperation and frowned.

"This stuff doesn't mean anything Dawnie," she moaned. "So he's got a record, I'm sure there's a reason."

"Yeah, he's a criminal."

Buffy rolled her eyes and scoffed.

"Or he was at the wrong place at the wrong time and the cops nabbed him for something he didn't do. I've been there too you know. It does tend to happen in that line of work." 

Dawn crossed her arms over her chest as Faith and Xander looked over the printouts.

"Oh yeah, well how do you explain him being dead huh?" Dawn asked snidely.

Buffy growled softly in her throat.

"I don't know, maybe he died and a spell brought him back. I've been there too," she pointed. "OR, maybe it was a demon that took his form, I've had THAT happen TOO."

"I can't believe you'd still defend him after seeing this stuff," Dawn groaned.

Buffy frowned with offense.

"Why are you even looking into this stuff? Might I remind you that because of Dean, you were spared from any danger those changelings could have put you in. Not to mention he saved your niece's life."

Dawn stuck her nose up in defiance.

"YOU saved my niece's life."

Buffy shook her head.

"He helped a great deal," she stressed. "And I'll always be grateful so stop trying to crucify him because whatever that 'stuff' you pulled up on him doesn't matter to me. He's not a 'murderer' and I resent the fact that you're bringing this up when he's not around to defend himself."

Buffy snatched the printouts from Faith and Xander, got to her feet, strolled over to the trash can and chucked the sheets inside.

"I'm just trying to look out for you," Dawn reasoned.

Buffy heaved a sigh. "I appreciate it Dawnie but you're wasting your time with this. I know all I need to know about Dean, he proved to me who he is when he helped me in that changeling attack. He's a good guy."

Xander gulped at the tense moment as he glanced at his watch.

"Well, the Xander family van is about to scoot out of here," he said.

Buffy nodded as she gently ushered Dawn toward the stairs.

"Go get your stuff so Xander can get you back," she said.

Xander drifted up the stairs with Dawn as Faith hung out with Buffy in the living room. Faith peered into the trash can before she glanced at Buffy and grinned.

"So B, why the hell did you never mention that this Dean was such a hot dish?"

Buffy snickered at Faith's silly smile.

"I didn't?"

"Nope, I believe all you said about him was that he was a hunter that helped you out," Faith recalled. "I figured he was some old geezer but now I see why you didn't give the scoop. You want to keep him for yourself right?"

Buffy shifted in her stance as she shined her disbelief.

"Uh, hello. Kind of not on my mind at the moment."

Buffy tapped her fingers on her baby bump.

"Ah," Faith said. "So maybe he'll come around after you pop your girl out, you snap back, and then you two can 'get to know each other'."

Buffy rocked back on her heels as Faith winked.

"Um, Faith, it's not really like that between us."

Faith shrugged as she slipped on her jacket.

"Doesn't mean it can't be," she said. "You cut little sis down so you must like him."

"Yeah I like him," Buffy confessed. "But just as a..."

Faith grinned with satisfaction.

"Okay, so let's say this Fourth of July, you and that hot piece of ass make your own fireworks huh? Mark it on the calendar."

Faith picked up a pen and started to flip through the calendar tacked to wall above the desk. Buffy widened her eyes and shuffled over to Faith, batting her hand away.

"No, no," she said. "Seriously Faith, it's not like that."

Faith scrutinized Buffy with her eyes.

"Wait, wait, whatta a friggin' idiot I am, Dawn was ranting about some dope that tried to get in your pants but she never mentioned his name. So I'm guessing that was Dean. Did he hit on you?"

Buffy gulped under Faith's assessing gaze.

"Um, well, yeah but, I was...behind the fridge door so he didn't know I was pregnant."

Faith shrugged the excuse off. "But then he still came around after he knew, right?"

"Only because he wanted to help me," Buffy reasoned. "He was doing his job."

"I don't know B," Faith said. "Lil sis was harping on him pretty bad, like... 'you know who' bad. I hate to bring him up but..."

Buffy heaved a deep sigh and gave a forgiving expression.

"Yeah I know that Dawnie is just being protective but she has no reason to be," Buffy moaned.

Faith shifted into a sincere expression.

"You sure about that? He sniffs out evil, he's obviously a charmer AND he had a thing for you...kind of adds up to something..."

Buffy bit down on her lip to stave off the painful memories that threatened to surge through her mind.

"Maybe I should get on this boat too," Faith added. "Cuz if this is part two of 'you know who' then I swear B, I will make first strike."

Faith shaded with a fierce glare and clenched her right hand into a fist. Buffy blew out a shaky breath and shook her head.

"That's not necessary," she stressed. "Dean hunts evil things to KILL them, not to BECOME them. He's not..."

Buffy glanced down at her belly and struggled to beat back the agony swarming at the base of her throat. As tears tugged at the corner of her eyes, she inhaled a deep breath to maintain her composure.

"Well, if you vouch for him...I'll back you up," Faith said. "But if I run into him and he's mouthing off in a 'black eyed' state before slicing a bunch of people up, all bets are off babe cuz I will rip that sonofabitch apart. I did it once, and I'll do it again."

Buffy gasped softly in her throat as she staggered back to the couch arm and steadied herself against it. Faith exuded her heavy remorse as Buffy wiped her damp eyes.

"I'm sorry B," Faith replied. "I wish I coulda found another way but I HAD to. I had to."

Buffy sniffed away her tears and slowly nodded, clutching an arm around her stomach.

"No, um...I know," she conceded very softly. "You were doing your job."

Faith deepened her remorseful look and sighed.

"Look B, we all just want you to move on," she said. "You got a free pass to paradise now with that little one arriving soon. So, don't think about that bastard anymore. It doesn't matter if the kid is gonna have his DNA, you're gonna raise her right and no evil bitches are gonna touch her, not as long as me or Dawn or any of us are around."

Buffy tried to display an appreciative smile but could only manage a nod as Xander and Dawn emerged in the doorway of the living room. After a round of hugs from Xander mostly, he and Dawn ambled out to the van. Faith paused on the porch and flashed an optimistic smile.

"Think about July fourth," she said.

"Faith..."

Faith shrugged.

"Hey, at some point maybe he'll come around again when you're looking fine and ready to...you know hop back in the saddle. I mean, you got nothing stopping you from having what you want out of life with me and the girls driving the ship now, so, don't hold yourself back B."

Buffy drew a dry smile. "Right, cuz I really want to hook up with a guy who's never around. I've pretty much already done that whole 'hey hon, how's it going, see ya next month' thing."

"Well, he ain't gonna be hunting forever," Faith stated.

Buffy leaned in the doorway as her mind drifted to her candid conversation with Dean back in Cicero when he expressed a very pessimistic view about his future. She was still deeply curious as to why he was so convinced he would never transition into a normal life.

"Yeah, maybe."

Faith poked Buffy in the shoulder and grinned.

"See? You do like him cuz you're hoping," she said teasingly.

"No, I didn't mean that..." Buffy started to protest.

Faith hopped off the steps and waved a hand.

"See ya B."

Buffy heaved a sigh as she waved to the group. She padded down the small entry way and perched in the doorway to the living room. She spied the mug shot peeking out of the trash can before pivoting to drift up the stairs.

"Dean Winchester," she said softly. "Still such a mystery."

Buffy shook her head in amusement as she ambled down the hall and into a small bedroom. She knew it wasn't likely that Dean was going to pop in anytime soon, well aware of how erratic the life of a demon hunter was but, she had to admit there was a very deep part of her that hoped he would, just for the sake of knowing that he was still alive. The danger of her former job always made you live from day to day and she knew Dean was in that same mind set, never dangling thoughts of a future, focusing on saving lives and eradicating evil. But even still, she always carried hope of getting out of Slaying so she still wondered why Dean had written off his future.

She weaved into the baby's room and started setting out several stuffed animals on top of a little dresser. She opened one of the drawers and stored away a set of sheets. She glanced at the silk pouch she had hidden at the bottom of the drawer and pulled out the cash Dean had gifted her before he left town. She had thought there to be three hundred bucks but to her immense shock, again, there was five. She had no idea what she was going to spend it on, feeling the need to purchase something special considering the circumstances in which the money was bestowed upon her.

Buffy heaved a breath as she felt her eyes watering from the harrowing memory of the changelings attacking her. No matter what anyone said about Dean, he had assured that her baby girl would make her appearance in the world, so even if he never stopped in to say hello, she was certain she would always remember him. She sniffed deeply as a few tears streamed down her cheeks, fueled by the maternal hormones raging through her body. She stuffed the money back in the pouch and decided that she would let her little girl pick out whatever she wanted and Buffy would let her know that it was a gift from Dean. She wanted her daughter to know the guy that saved her life and maybe someday, by some miracle, she would run into Dean in the future and her little girl could say thank you in person.

Buffy smiled at the thought for a long minute before she let it drift away. She regretted now not getting his number thinking he probably had no permanent address. She let out a sigh and sent her prayers to the powers that be to keep Dean and his brother Sam, whom she also regretted not having the chance to really meet him, safe from harm.

Sam was deeply dismayed when Dean swept through the motel room door in the late afternoon. Though he looked exhausted and disheveled, Dean carried a wide, goofy grin as he stripped his jacket off and let out a yawn. He set his things on the table and shuffled into the bathroom, shutting the door and quickly running the water.

Sam rolled his eyes and heaved a sigh as he snaked the laptop from his brother's pile of things on the table. He swiftly pulled up several search engines and after a minute to maneuver through the Cicero County records website, he found Buffy's leasing contract. He dialed the number listed and mulled over his thoughts. After one ring, an automated voice informed him that the number he was calling was no longer in service.

Sam let out a sigh of disappointment as his mind drifted through some possibilities. It had only been a few weeks since they left Cicero but perhaps Buffy had moved to another area in Indiana after her ordeal with the changelings. He couldn't really blame her for wanting to plant her roots elsewhere. As he kept his ears tuned on the running water of the shower, Sam hacked into the post office webpage and checked for a forwarding address. He let out another sigh when Buffy had not left any information with the post office regarding her new address. That meant she could be anywhere in the country. Sam let out another heavy sigh as his attempts to track down Buffy were dwindling quickly. She certainly made it difficult for people to find her, then again, she had lived a long time under the grid so Sam hadn't really expected to locate her in a few key strokes. When the water streamed off, Sam clicked off his websites as Dean emerged from the shower, still grinning gleefully.

Sam eyed his brother, wondering if Dean knew where Buffy was since they had spent quite some time together. He should have just asked Dean right then and there but something told him to hold off for awhile. Maybe Bobby would have better luck tracking down the Watcher.

Later the next evening, as Dean ventured out to a bar yet again, Sam hung out in the motel room continuing his quest to find a way to save his brother. As he piddled through more occult forum boards, he heard his cell phone humming on the nightstand.

"Hey Bobby," Sam said.

"Sam, sorry I didn't get back to you sooner, been driving around a lot trying to find this Watcher."

"And? Did you have any luck?"

"Not so far, looking into a bunch of things I heard through the channels, something called a Watchers Council, guess it's like a supervisory board anyway, I got some meetings with a couple of hunters that had run ins with the Slayer. I'll let you know what I turn up."

"Okay, thanks Bobby."

The following morning, Sam anxiously waited to hear back from Bobby about whether he found the Slayer's Watcher. After several hours of pacing, of trying to distract himself with more occult forum readings, Sam finally got to his feet and slipped his jacket on. It was almost noon and Dean still hadn't returned to the room. Sam ambled across the street as he felt his hope floating away. He still hadn't found a clear cut way to save Dean and time was running out.

Sam blew out a deep breath as he wandered into a bar and settled into a corner table. His face hung heavy with sadness as a waitress took his drink order. As the waitress dropped his first helping of whiskey, he grumbled after noticing the time. Dean was going to die in a handful of months and he was parading around with attractive women, like usual. He didn't seem to exude an ounce of care about his fleeting mortality.

Sam took a small sip from his glass and winced at the harsh taste of the liquid burned in his mouth. How the hell did Dean drink this stuff like water? Dean. Sam frowned with bitterness at his brother's lackadaisical attitude. Before he even realized it, Sam had two more empty glasses of whiskey in front of him. His head was spinning and his eyes were glassy, his vision pooling in and out of focus. He barely recognized the guy ambling toward his table.

"Sam, I've been looking all over for you."

Sam fumbled to get his elbow on the table as he raised another glass to his mouth.

"Never expected to find you here," Dean remarked. "What are you doing here anyway?"

Sam pushed a causal look over his face.

"Drinking," Sam said flatly.

Dean eyed the clock above the bar and flashed Sam an incredulous look.

"You're drinking the hard stuff - at two in the afternoon?

Sam shrugged.

"It's not so unusual."

Dean scoffed as Sam tried to mask his grimace as he forced down the remainder of his whiskey.

"It is for you," Dean pointed sharply.

Sam hitched his head up in defiance.

"So? You get shitfaced and toss pick up lines to chicks almost every night. Is it so odd if I want to do that too?"

Dean blinked with disbelief at Sam before he shifted his eyes around the bar to scope out the patrons. He noticed an older woman about forty, sitting by herself in the opposite corner of the bar. She looked like a heavy smoker as she coughed incessantly in her fist.

"Trying to put the beer goggles on huh Sam? What's this all about?"

Dean leaned on the table as Sam slumped against the booth seat. His face was riddled with agony.

"I failed," Sam muttered softly.

"With what?"

Sam moped deeply as he almost cracked his empty glass when he set it down on the table.

"With trying to get you out - of the deal Dean," Sam imparted.

Dean stared at Sam for a long minute before he slipped into the booth seat across from him. He flagged the lone waitress down and ordered a hard drink.

"I mean it," Sam said.

Dean frowned as he shifted in his seat.

"Ramblings of a drunk man."

Sam moped even deeper.

"I've tried every thing I can think of to save you."

Sam gripped his empty glass as tears pooled in his eyes.

"I'm beginning to wonder if it's all for naught, that even someone like Ruby can do a damn thing to help you. Maybe the truth is, I can't stop it, I can't save you."

"I've been telling you that all along Sam," Dean replied flatly.

Sam shook his head as the moisture in his eyes thickened.

"No, what I really mean to say is, I can't save you, Ruby can't save you, no one can help save you because YOU don't want to be. You don't care, you don't give a damn that you're gonna die Dean," Sam said bitterly.

Dean absorbed Sam's statement as he scoffed very softly before shifting into a smirk. Sam frowned in anger at his brother's nonchalant reaction as he looked away. As Dean's eyes shifted to Sam, a cell phone cut the tense silence. Dean fished out his phone and answered it. Through his glassy eyes, Sam noticed his brother's casual expression shifting into a look of great surprise.

"Uh yeah, speaking," Dean said. "What happened?"

Dean quickly shimmied out of the booth seat and bolted to his feet.

"Come on Sam, Bobby's in trouble."

_Two days later:_

Dean veered the Impala sharply to the shoulder of the road and slammed on the brakes. Sam lurched forward and frowned as Dean cut the engine and slumped down in his seat, flashing a disgruntled frown.

"Okay, I'm sick of this," he groaned.

Dean angled his seat back and got comfortable as Sam questioned him with his eyes.

"What's going on? Why did you stop?"

"I'm tired, I'm grumpy and I'm sick of this shit, so I'm taking a really long cat nap."

Sam shot Dean an apprehensive look.

"But Dean, you can't. If you fall asleep, Jeremy will be waiting for you."

"I know, that's exactly what I want to happen," Dean reasoned.

Sam displayed his disbelief. "What?"

"Tricky bastard keeps eluding us," Dean snapped. "So I'm dangling bait to lure him out."

"In his home court? Are you nuts?"

"Yeah, haven't you figured that out by now? Anyways, I'll hook him then sink him."

Sam emphatically shook his head.

"No," he said adamantly. "You can't do this by yourself."

He reached over to Dean and yanked a strand of his hair out. Dean grimaced from the sting and glared at Sam in annoyance.

"Hey! What the hell did you do that for?"

"I need it so I can go with you," Sam said flatly.

"Like hell you are," Dean protested.

"You need me Dean, Jeremy is smart and we have a better chance taking him on together than you going on your own."

Dean deepened his glare as Sam studied him.

"What's really your beef?"

Dean fumed for a second as he rubbed the top of his head where Sam had viciously yanked a hair from.

"I don't want you poking your nose into my business, that's all."

"Well tough," Sam snapped as he reached into his bag and started making the concoction to enter the dream world.

A short time later, Sam abruptly roused, bolting forward in his seat. He looked around in confusion as he saw the car in the same place with no evidence of a freaky dream world. He glanced at Dean who was conked out in the driver seat.

Sam gently nudged Dean in the arm to stir him awake. When he remained in a deep doze, Sam used a more forceful hit to the arm. Dean shot forward and snapped his eyes open. He frowned in protest at the sudden break from his slumber.

"Oh come on," he groaned.

Dean let his weary eyes settle as he slowly took in his surroundings. He frowned in confusion when he saw the same clearing.

"Hey, wait a second, what the hell happened? Why didn't it work?"

"You got me," Sam said.

Sam paused when he heard a faint sound.

"I think something is outside."

Sam and Dean stumbled out of the car and looked around. As they reached the front of the car, the guitar riff intro of Eric Clapton's 'Wonderful Tonight' pierced the eerie silence. Sam and Dean eyed each other in great wonder as no other sounds but Clapton's soothing tone filled the air.

"_It's late in the evening  
_

_She's wondering what clothes to wear  
_

_She puts on her make up  
_

_And brushes her long blonde hair..."_

Dean drew his eyes behind him and then swung around to see a part of the dark clearing suddenly lighting up a few feet away._  
_

"_And then she asks me  
_

_Do I look alright  
_

_And I say yes, you look wonderful tonight..."_

Dean froze in surprise when he saw Buffy poised on a small blanket, a picnic basket settled beside her. She giggled softly as she made one last stroke through a lock of her hair before stuffing her brush in a small purse. She beamed a bright, deeply enamored smile up at him as her hair cascaded around her shoulders.

"Hi sweetie," she said as she shifted her weight on the blanket.

Sam watched in complete shock while Dean remained still. Buffy clutched her swollen belly and gazed up at Dean in awe.

"Gosh, baby's coming in another week and we still haven't picked a name for this little Winchester," she said.

Dean forced out a breath as Sam took a step back behind his brother. Buffy leaned back on a hand as her hazel eyes glistened deeply.

"Winchester, has a nice ring to it, huh? I'm still getting used to it myself," she said as she gazed in amazement at the wedding ring on her left hand.

Dean remained completely paralyzed as Sam tried to keep his eyes down but found himself staring at the scene.

"Are you going to sit with me? You did manage to convince me to come out with you," she said with an endearing smile. "So, sit, have a beer, it's a nice night."

Buffy cracked open a beer and held it out to Dean. Dean sucked in another breath as he became painfully aware of Sam's presence next to him. He shifted his eyes to Sam who was staring at him uncomfortably.

"I've never dreamed about this," Dean lied.

Dean turned away from Sam and stamped his eyes shut very briefly. He snapped his eyes open and turned back around to see Sam still staring at him.

"Stop staring at me Sam," Dean barked.

Sam shifted awkwardly in his stance and threw an apologetic look.

"Um, sorry, I didn't mean to."

"God, I love our life," Buffy said with a wide smile. "And I love you Dean. You have given me so much, you make me so happy."

Dean looked back at Buffy. She shined another smile up at him before the environment, along with her, began trembling. Within a blink, Buffy, the picnic environment, the lighting, the music all faded away.

Dean whipped his eyes around as Sam followed suit.

"What happened to her?" Dean asked softly.

Sam swung his sights around the clearing and froze when he saw Jeremy emerging from behind a tree in the woods. Jeremy flashed a sinister smile as

Sam nudged Dean in the arm. Dean followed Sam's sights and glared at Jeremy. Sam tore off toward the woods.

"Sonofabitch," Dean grunted as he raced after Sam.

After losing a dial on Sam, Dean continued his sprint into the thick of the woods when he abruptly stopped and looked around in complete bewilderment.

"What the..."

Dean was no longer in the woods but inside a wallpapered hallway with several doors on each side. He edged down the mysterious hallway, headed to the last door at the end. As he drew closer, the door swung open as if knowing he was approaching. He perched in the hall as the door widened, exposing a dark motel room within.

As he neared the doorway, he heard a faint clicking sound. Once he crossed the threshold, he blinked rapidly as he took in the sight of the motel room that was identical the one he and Sam were currently staying in.

Dean swept his sight across the room and noticed a man sitting in a chair by the desk.

"I got you, you bastard," Dean muttered.

The man in the chair obsessively clicked the on and off switch of the lamp sitting on the desk without acknowledging Dean's presence. Dean edged closer to the desk as the lamp turned out, spilling light over the mystery man. After a few more clicks, Dean reached the desk when the lamp turned on. He widened his eyes in shock as the man turned his eyes over his shoulder and revealed his identity.

"What the..."

The mystery man got to his feet and nodded. Dean blinked rapidly again as he stared at...himself.

"What's up good looking?" Dean cracked as he smiled at himself.

The other Dean merely sighed, pretty much all business.

"Now that you're here, we need to have a little chitchat."

Dean and his dream version began walking around a circle in the motel room, in the same direction, a few inches from each other.

"Okay, okay, no need to draw out the suspense," Dean remarked. "I'm my own worst enemy right? Kind of a good me versus bad me thing?"

Dean widened his amused smile as his dream version frowned.

"Denial through humor, it's our best defense mechanism," Dream Dean stated. "But come on man, I'm you. You can't bullshit me. I know what's really going on."

"Oh yeah? What is it you think you know huh?"

Both Deans perched in the room before swapping places. Dean stood by the desk while his dream version parked near the door.

"I know you feel dead, numb, and worthless. That every time you take a good look at yourself in a mirror, you're disgusted by what looks back at you."

Dean snorted with amusement. "Look, save the 'boo hoo' story you're trying to dish up cuz I'm not eating it. You're not even really me, you're a...dream me."

Dream Dean snorted.

"I may be dream you but I'm still you."

Dean scoffed.

"Like hell you are, I'm having the slumber party, not you pal."

Dean raised his left hand in the air.

"See in just a quick little snap, I can whisk you away."

Dean snapped his fingers with a boastful smile but his dream version still remained in the room. Dean tried snapping a second time and was met with the same non-action. After a few more failed attempts, his confident smile faded. Dream Dean hitched his hands on his hip and snorted.

"Take a hint PAL, parlor tricks don't work on me," he taunted. "So have a seat because you're not going anywhere and neither am I."

Dean blinked when the motel room door flung shut and locked. Dream Dean raised his right hand to reveal a sawed off shot gun.

"You feel like talking now?" Dream Dean asked with a wicked smile.

Dean eyed his dream version as he circled around with the shotgun.

"You got some serious self-esteem issues man," Dream Dean cracked. "You're due for a ride downstairs soon and all you've done is sit around, in a bar, in the motel, in some chick's bedroom, in the Impala, not doing one thing to try and save yourself."

Dean began following his dream version around in the circle.

"You're thinking, you haven't got much a life anyway so may as well just stock up on the marshmallows, huh?" Dream Dean said sardonically.

Dean struggled to shake himself awake as his dream version continued to taunt him.

"Guess you're right, cuz when you really think long and hard about it, what do you really have other than Sam?"

Dean parked by the door as his dream self lingered near the door.

"So take Sam out of the equation and what have you got left? Nothing," Dream Dean stated sharply. "Because that's all you are, nothing, nothing but a loyal, obedient dog that attacks on order and duty."

"You're wrong."

"Am I? Let's think about this. What are your wants, your hopes, your dreams? What do you have that is truly yours? The car? Dad gave it you. The leather jacket you wear like skin? Got that from dad too. Classic rock? You love it cuz dad did. So, really man, you got NOTHING."

Dean scoffed loudly at himself, masking any other telling expression.

"Hell, you can't even think on your own," Dream Dean pointed. "Your whole life it's been, 'look after your brother,' 'that's an order boy' – why, dad's orders are still ringing through your head to this day, aren't they?"

Dream Dean shook his head and held up the shotgun to his ear, like a phone.

"Ring – ring – ring," he said with a taunting smirk.

Dean simply threw back his own smirk.

"Shut your trap."

Dream Dean shook his head and edged toward his other self.

"Come on man, stop denying it," he snapped. "All you've ever been is a soldier, dad bred obedience in you, to carry out his orders..."

Dean felt his smirk fading as his dream version nosed up to him.

"But it was different with Sammy. Sammy was his baby boy. The one he really shined his love and affection on," Dream Dean pointed with a smug smirk.

"Shut up," Dean barked. "I'm seriously getting pissed off now."

Dream Dean widened his boastful smirk.

"Dad only saw you as his loyal, obedient soldier, not his son."

Dream Dean shifted into a glare.

"Dear old dad didn't give a crap about you, and that's why you're fine with dying," Dream Dean remarked caustically.

Dean glared furiously at his dream version.

"You goddamn dick!" he snarled.

Dean shoved his dream self hard into the wall above the desk. Dream Dean hit the wall and groaned, trying to roll off the desk and onto his feet.

"My father was a goddamn obsessive dick!" Dean barked as he kicked his dream version against the wall again.

Dean swept up the shotgun, holding it like a bat and smacked his dream self in the head.

"I was his son! But he burdened ME with all his fucking crap! He burdened ME with taking care of Sam. It should have been HIM! He couldn't take care of his own damn family!" he growled.

Dean stepped back and hit his dream version several more times in the face.

"It was HIS FAULT that mom died! He should have taken care of me and Sam! But he was GONE! ALL THE FUCKING TIME HE WAS GONE and left me to be there for Sam!"

Dean swung the shotgun across his dream version's face once more.

"It wasn't FAIR! It wasn't fair that I had to deal with all his crap unloaded on ME! It wasn't FAIR!"

Dean choked with intense emotion as tears ripped through his eyes and clouded his throat. He backed away from his dream self as he clenched the shotgun in his hand.

"And it's not fair that I have to go to Hell for everything HE PUT ON ME!

Dean leveled the shotgun and unloaded two shots into his dream version's chest. Blood spattered over the wall above the desk as Dean edged up to his other version and confirmed he was dead.

A second later, Dean blinked when his dream version suddenly snapped his eyes open. Dean blinked again when he saw the black pools swirling in his dream version's eyes, displaying demonic possession. Dean blinked in surprise a third time when his dream version folded forward and sat on the desk. Demon Dean flared with anger and hostility.

"What's done is done Dean! You're going to Hell and there's nothing you can do to stop it! This is what's in store for you!" Demon Dean roared.

As Dean watched his demonic version charging toward him, the room suddenly faded away.

A second later, Sam and Dean bolted forward in their seats, breaking abruptly from their dream state. Sam and Dean glanced at each other briefly before shifting their sights away. Dean sucked in a heavy breath as his mind blistered with numbness and his heartbeat raged in his throat.

After discovering Bela's deception – again, Sam and Dean hurriedly packed up their stuff and checked out of the motel, bent on hunting her down. As they dumped their bags in the trunk, Dean heaved a breath and took pause for a moment. He leaned against the open trunk and eyed Sam as he finished throwing in his bags.

"So Sam, uh, I'm curious as to uh...what you saw in my head."

Sam shifted in his stance as he leaned against the car next to Dean.

"Um, Jeremy in the woods, he cut me off from you, to get me alone, guess it was easier for him to get the best of me. Um, what did you see? You haven't mentioned..."

Dean flashed very briefly on his dreams and nightmares as he fished out his keys. He buried them away as he shook his head.

"I was trying to get back to you."

Dean let out a breath and stamped the trunk shut before circling around to the driver side. After settling into the car, Sam shifted in his seat as Dean looked off for a minute in heavy reflection.

"Hey Sam?"

As Sam turned his sights toward Dean, Dean kept his eyes away.

"What's up?" Sam asked.

Dean inhaled a shaky breath as he cleared his throat.

"I uh, I've sort of been having some...thoughts and I...well I...I'm not ready to die," he confessed very softly.

Sam shrouded with a sad expression as Dean gripped the steering wheel tightly.

"I really don't want to die Sam," Dean cried. "I don't want this to be the end of my life..."

Dean shifted his eyes through the windshield, drifting over the area of the clearing that had been lit up in his dream state.

"There are things that I want..." he added softly.

As he felt his emotions rising through him, Dean quickly let the rest of his statement drift away. He inhaled a deep breath and swallowed the swell of turmoil raging in his heart.

Sam swallowed a hard lump in his throat when he saw the complete anguish in his brother's expression. Sam slowly nodded his head.

"Okay, we'll do everything we can to find a way out of this deal."

Dean shifted his eyes to Sam briefly before turning his sights back through the windshield and nodding. He gunned the engine and eyed Sam with a small, hopeful smile.


	5. Chapter 5

**Ch. 5 Isn't She Lovely?**

Several weeks later:

Sam flipped through his notes, occasionally pecking at the laptop set beside him on his bed. When Dean emerged from the shower, Sam anxiously met his eyes and tapped on his notes.

"Do you have a new number or an address on Buffy?"

Dean exuded his mass surprise, studying Sam with wonder.

"What? Why you askin'?" he asked with cautious eyes.

As he sat down on the edge of his bed, he narrowed his sights on Sam.

"You're not...you know, interested in her are you?"

Sam scoffed.

"No Dean, I'm not shameless like you are," he moaned. "I was just trying to find her new contact information since it seems she moved from Cicero."

Dean still remained suspicious.

"You're not interested in her, yet you're trying to find her?"

"I've been reading a lot about the lore on the Slayer, anyway, I was hoping I could talk to her."

Dean exaggerated a skeptical frown.

"The Slayer? A chick with freaky super powers? Come on dude, she's not real."

Sam shifted into a glare; he knew his brother was trying to be evasive.

"You were in her house Dean."

Dean mocked a wide eyed look of wonder. He scratched his head and looked off.

"I was? I don't recall that. I think I'd remember being in some mythical girl's house."

Sam shook his head in frustration.

"What makes you think the Slayer is real huh?"

Sam picked up their dad's journal.

"Dad mentioned her a couple of times. Rufus and Caleb had encounters with her and then there is this..."

Sam flipped to the pages earmarked with apple pie crumbs.

"You were looking her up," he said as he tapped on the smudges.

"What makes you say that?"

"You were done in by a pie Dean," Sam said. "For some reason, you were digging through the journal to find out about the Slayer. Which means you had suspicions, and after watching the way she was fighting off those changelings, I know that Buffy is the Slayer, or was the Slayer so stop with the 'avoid and deflect' bit. You wanted me to help you find a way out of this deal and this is one of the avenues. So do you know her number or not?"

After a long minute of absorbing Sam's glare, Dean heaved a sigh.

"Nope, sorry. But there's no point in talking to her about this."

"Well, what's the harm in just asking her? She might have an idea I haven't thought of, she's got resources..."

"No, Sam," Dean cut in. "I don't want you bothering her with this."

"THIS is your life Dean," Sam replied sharply. "If there is any possibility she can help save you, we need to explore it."

Dean shook his head emphatically.

"I said no."

"Why?"

"Because she's not the Slayer anymore," Dean replied sharply. "She's going to have a kid soon – that's her life now. I don't want her getting sucked into this crap."

"But Dean..."

Dean sharpened his icy glare on Sam and got up.

"Just find another way. End of discussion," he barked, returning to the bathroom.

He shut the door leaving Sam to sigh in frustration.

After Dean went to bed, Sam snuck outside, settling into a plastic folding chair in the small courtyard of their motel. Under the faint light of a bare bulb above him, he searched more websites, pages and pages of lores and legends on demonic deals and soul selling. When a particular webpage caught his eye, he clicked on the link that took him to a Star Wars like background with the large banner: Return of the Slayer.

Sam frowned curiously as he casually scrolled through the navigational tabs. He blinked in surprise when he an instant message window popped onto his screen from someone using the handle, Drewbi-Wan 140.

Drewbi-Wan 140: _Hello, my friend. I see you are curious about the magical mystery called the Slayer, the world's greatest champion against the forces of darkness. May I help you find something in particular?_

Sam heaved a yawn as he debated whether to ignore the message or politely respond. He settled for a quick and polite brush off using one of his generic internet handles.

_JonBon08: No, thanks, I'm just lurking._

_Drewbi-Wan140: Well, perhaps I can direct you to a particular section? Or if you have any questions, please feel free to ask, I am the resident Jedi Master of all things Slayer. This is my site you know._

Sam minimized the instant message screen as he typed a quick response before going back to the search engine page.

_JonBon08: Oh. I didn't realize. _

_Drewbi-Wan140: Well, now you do. I know everything there is to know about the Slayer. I miss her (sniff) but her legend lives on in others._

Sam casually glanced at the response just before he was about to close the page. The last sentence caught his attention as he found himself straightening in his chair. He widened the message screen and quickly replied.

_JonBon08: Others? I thought per the 'lore' that there is only one per generation._

_Drewbi-Wan140: Yes, 'one dies, another is called', BUT our perky, brave, selfless heroine created a loophole, it was many years ago when she faced the Master, one of the oldest vampires known, in her old hometown of Sunnydale..._

For several minutes, Sam anxiously read along as "Drewbi-Wan140" typed many long paragraphs about the Slayer's harrowing battle against the Master at just the age of sixteen, resulting in a new Slayer. He widened his eyes incredulously, partially feeling skeptical, partially feeling hopeful, or maybe it was just fatigue that was making his head spin furiously.

He cut in with a response.

_JonBon08: _Then there are more.

_Drewbi-Wan140:_Yes, many, many more, all around the world my friend.

_JonBon08: _More loopholes?

_Drewbi-Wan140: _In a way, yes, you see, a great evil rose – the first evil.

In the dead of night, Sam sucked in a long breath as the instant message quickly flooded with more amazing tales about the Slayer. If he had never seen the fight in Buffy's bathroom all those months ago, he would have questioned the validity of these 'tall tales'. But now, with everything he had seen, with his brother's protective nature toward the former Slayer, he knew that Buffy Summers was an incredible warrior, the champion of the world no doubt.

As Drewbi-Wan rampaged on with another story, Sam leaned the chair back slightly, trying to absorb the reality of all the evil Buffy had faced in her time. He was starting to understand why Dean was so adamant about her having her new life. She had definitely earned the reward of a normal life, as normal as could be for someone who stopped a handful of apocalypses. He felt torn, Buffy had successfully stopped the end of the world, had faced great, unimaginable evil, if anyone could save his brother, she could. But he would never want to endanger her life, especially now that she was about to have a child.

Sam drew a deep sigh as he swept a hand through his hair. He shifted his eyes back to the message window where "Drewbi-Wan" finally finished his tale.

_Drewbi-Wan140: _You still there Jon?

_JonBon08: _Yeah, I'm here, sorry, just digesting. Those are some amazing tales.

_Drewbi-Wan140: _They are not tales, they are part of history, yours, mine, many who never will know all that our grand Slayer had done in saving our lives from horrible evil. You do believe in demonic beings, supernatural creatures? I would assume so if you came here.

Sam hesitated, not sure how to respond.

_Drewbi-Wan140: _It is okay my friend. If you seek knowledge, I am here to share, to help fight evil, for I once turned to the dark side of the force, but the Slayer, the queen of eradicating demonic beings everywhere, she showed me the error of my ways, and now I have dedicated my life to pursuing her cause. Are you sure there is nothing I can help you with? Need a hexing spell? Have a cursed relic? Do demons reside in your attic?

_JonBon08: _No, no...well...let's say someone made a deal – like sold their soul to save someone – and this person wanted to get out of their contract, BUT if they were to do this, someone else would die.

_Drewbi-Wan140: _Hmm. Are you speaking of a crossroads demon?

Sam shined his surprise as he responded.

_JonBon08: _Yes.

_Drewbi-Wan140: _Okay, so getting out of the contract with the demon gets someone dead.

Yeah.

_Drewbi-Wan140: _Crossroad demons are quite sneaky. So you were hoping a Slayer could help this 'someone' get out of their deal with no one else dying. Right?

_JonBon08: _Yes, I was looking for something, I don't know what – I've run through many ideas but haven't found anything solid.

_Drewbi-Wan140: _Well, you came to the right place. Perhaps we can arrange a meeting to discuss the details of your situation more intimately?

_JonBon08: _I don't think that would be a good idea. I am trying to be discreet about this.

_Drewbi-Wan140: _Yes, of course you are. I can come to you, anywhere, any time, Jon. I will employ the assistance of our resident expert here, he is a bit old but he knows his stuff and he works closely with all the Slayers. What do you say?

After a brief moment of contemplating, Sam typed in a response.

The following evening, Sam was settled on his bed, tapping away at his laptop when Dean emerged from the bathroom.

"I'm going out, don't wait up," Dean said as he picked up his jacket and car keys.

Sam frowned in dismay.

"You're going out again? It's the third night in a row."

"Yeah well..."

Dean heaved a sigh and rubbed a knot out of the back of his neck. He yanked the door open and shrugged.

"Don't wait up," he reiterated before walking out the door.

Sam stared at the door until he heard a distinct chime of an instant message response. He shifted his eyes to his laptop and glanced over the text before keying his own response.

Buffy shifted onto her side as the calm Illinois air soundlessly swept over her house. Her mind drifted into the past, reminiscing over random memories. As she felt movement within her swelling abdomen, her eyes fluttered open in the faint darkness. She drew alarm when she saw the figure of a small girl perched by the bed.

"Mommy, I'm hungry!" the girl said.

The little girl grinned wickedly flaring her fangs as she jumped onto Buffy and started feasting on her neck.

Buffy gasped awake, bolting forward as she heaved several ragged breaths. She whipped her eyes around her bedroom, listening to the night and scoping out the shadows on the window. She clamped a hand on her neck, probing it intently before sighing heavily. She wiped a coat of cold sweat from her face before rubbing her abdomen. She glanced at the clock on her nightstand. She had only slept a few hours. Feeling antsy and a little disturbed by her nightmare, she threw the covers off herself and went downstairs to brew a cup of decaf tea. As she waited for the water to boil, Buffy leaned against the counter in her kitchen, absorbing the solitude. She glanced at the calendar tacked to her fridge and pushed up the pages to May, staring at the date she had circled in a pink permanent marker.

Her head jerked behind her when an owl's song cracked the silence outside. She let out a breath, forcing herself to relax. She was still trying to get used to not hunting demons, not giving into her instincts every time she went out for a walk in the early evening. Some days, she hardly knew what to do with herself. If she weren't preparing every day for the arrival of her baby, she probably would have gone crazy being confined to this small town in Illinois, then again, she wouldn't have moved away from her friends and family. Her life was what it was now, no slaying, despite realizing demons still lurked in the darkness. As she cupped her mug, she became acutely aware of how quiet the house was, of how she was on her own now, of how, in a handful of months, her life would forever change.

Buffy stamped the images of changeling kids from her mind as she dug out a stack of cards from one of the kitchen drawers. She carried the cards and her mug back upstairs, relieved that her instincts to patrol at such an hour had bled away; when she felt the intense motion within her abdomen, as if her baby girl was reminding her of who was important now.

Buffy patted her abdomen as she crawled back into bed.

After hotwiring a car, Sam drove several hours down a lone highway until he reached an abandoned saloon. He double checked the address in his notebook before stepping out of the car.

Sam strode into the saloon to see a young guy with blonde hair wearing a blue suit, sitting with an older man with glasses at a table near the dusty bar. As Sam approached the table, the young guy shot to his feet and raked his eyes over him.

"Jon Bon? Wow, what a pleasant treat you are!"

Sam gave an odd look to the guy who shined a goofy grin as he continued to study him with eye rakes.

"Uh...Drew...bi-Wan?"

Sam shook his head in disbelief at his acknowledgment. The young guy took a bow and beamed a proud smile.

"In the flesh," he confirmed as he extended a hand. "When I'm not in forum, I go by Andrew. Andrew Wells."

Sam shifted uncomfortably as he swore Andrew was trying to use x-ray vision to scope through his shirt. He swallowed the thought and politely accepted Andrew's hand.

"Sam."

"Nice to finally meet you Sam," Andrew said. "This is Rupert Giles, our resident Watcher and old guy."

Giles flashed an annoyed frown at Andrew before acknowledging Sam with a friendly smile.

"Well, shall we commence with this meeting?" Andrew asked as he pointed to the empty chair for Sam.

Sam nodded and took a seat at the table. Andrew reached down into a cooler and pulled out a thermos and a bottle of beer.

"Care for some tea or a beer?" Andrew offered with a smile.

"No, thanks, I'm good," Sam declined.

"Sam, Andrew has informed me of your situation involving this, demonic contract, there are a few questions I have, if you would be so kind as to answer?"

"Sure."

After several minutes of answering Giles' question, Sam imparted a few more details involving the Crossroads demon and all of his attempts to get his brother out of his deal. When he was finished, Giles sat back in his chair, drawing his glasses off and chewing one end in silence. Andrew snapped and smiled.

"Ah, that's typical Giles, in his 'pensive' thinking mode," Andrew snorted.

As Giles thought pensively, Andrew propped his elbows on the table and leaned toward Sam.

"So Sam, where are you from?"

Sam fidgeted uncomfortably in his seat as Giles cut in.

"This is a very tricky situation indeed," Giles replied.

Andrew waved a hand with a confident smile.

"Don't worry young Skywalker, if anyone can help you out of your brother's deal it is our wise, old Yoda here," Andrew chimed.

Giles drew a look of offense at Andrew.

"I've tried everything, looked at all possibilities, I just don't what's going to work," Sam sighed.

"Well, now you've got the brilliance of me and the brawn of my team," Andrew declared.

Giles scoffed. "I beg your pardon? Your team?"

Andrew rolled his eyes.

"Oh let's face it Rupe, I do all the work for the girls, all the tech, all the new and improved and much more efficient research methods, we just let you hand around because we feel sorry for you. I only let you come along tonight to make you feel needed," Andrew stated with a sympathetic look.

Giles balked immensely and glared at Andrew. Sam cleared his throat to draw attention back on the issue at hand.

"Um, I would appreciate help from the both of you and anyone else," Sam said. "I'm running out of time and options."

Giles put his glasses back on and nodded.

"Yes," Giles agreed. "It is imperative we all work together to find a solution to your very sticky problem. I will need to return home to do a bit more research."

Andrew shook his head with a scolding expression on his face.

"No, no Rupe, we need to act now before Han Solo is carted off to the Carbonite chamber!" he cried.

Sam and Giles both stared at Andrew with disbelief. Andrew munched on a snack before his eyes lit up with an idea.

"I know, we can go before Jabba and try to bargain a new deal!"

Giles glanced at Sam.

"You mean, summon the demon to renegotiate," Sam translated.

Giles drew a grim frown at Andrew.

"Are you actually suggesting we try and barter with a demon?"

Andrew nodded confidently.

"Can you even grasp the kind of risks involved in summoning a demon?" Giles posed.

Andrew shrugged.

"You say that about everything," he pointed. "Anyway, with our demon killing ratios, there's got to be someone more enticing out there that the forces of darkness want to get their hands on. And with an army of Slayers at our disposal, we can bag it and tag it in no time."

"You cannot trust a demon," Giles said flatly. "We will return home and look into a more effective way to..."

"We'll dangle a bigger of meat in front of Darth Vadar and see if he bites," Andrew said.

Giles sighed in exasperation. "Perhaps...a reversal or voiding spell of some kind..."

Andrew hitched his head up.

"No, my idea is better."

"It is asinine and futile," Giles barked.

"Well so are you," Andrew shot.

"Guys, guys," Sam interjected.

Andrew and Giles stopped glaring at each other and regarded Sam.

"I'm willing to do whatever it takes to save my brother," Sam replied firmly.

Several hours later:

Giles swept back into the saloon after making phone calls while Andrew worked behind his laptop.

"Willow is conducting research on several possibilities, including a voiding spell. She also has...made some threats to a number of demons...that was of her own volition."

"Um okay, will any of those...methods work?" Sam posed.

Andrew smiled as he continued working on his laptop.

"Ah, yes, Willow is a very powerful witch," he sighed. "A mistress of great magic."

Sam cocked an eyebrow.

"A witch?"

"Yes, she was a little bit Glinda, then a whole lot of Wicked when she too was drawn to the dark side of the force, but the influence of our sweet Slayer set her back on the path to good..."

Andrew drew a dreamy smile.

"Anyway, I have the summoning spell here," he said. "And the supplies are simple, chalk, candles, a little Latin and we've got ourselves a demon."

After finishing the last of the preparations for the summoning spell, Andrew, Giles and Sam gathered around the diagram drawn on the ground. Giles read off the Latin several times until the lit candles blew out. When nothing seemed to happen, Giles double checked the incantation.

"I do not understand, I read it precisely as it was written. We should have successfully conjured..."

The saloon suddenly swung open and a man walked in. Sam blinked in surprise when he looked over the man dressed in an expensive designer suit and tie, equally expensive loafers and a Rolex watch. The man glanced casually at the three of them before settling his sights on Giles. He brightened with a silly grin.

"Ripper, what a surprise to see you! I don't suspect you are calling me to say you've fully embraced your old wicked ways now, have you?"

Giles was not amused, remaining poised without a response.

"Well, it was worth a shot," the man said.

The man shifted his eyes over Andrew and Sam. Sam frowned with bewilderment.

"You're the...demon?"

The man gave a strong nod.

"Were you expecting someone more handsome than I?"

Sam stared at the man in bewilderment.

"Let's get a move on then, it's nearly tea time," the man urged.

Sam shot the man an odd look.

"What? You didn't think I was so civilized? I do enjoy a cup of Bovril to relax in the evening."

Giles broke from his peevish frown, cocking his head and drawing a small smile of acknowledgment. The demon smirked at Sam as he straightened his tie.

"Well, a Watcher, a Winchester and..."

The demon looked over Andrew and frowned with curiosity.

"A minion walk into a bar..."

Garnering no response, the demon shook his head in disappointment.

"What is it then? Another merry go round of soul trading I suppose?"

The demon began circling around the three.

"Well, round and round and round we go, where it stops...I KNOW!" he roared.

The demon perched in front of Giles and rocked on his heels with a taunting smile.

"Not much use for an old bag like you," he said. "Pity."

The demon took a second long assessment of Giles.

"Nope, sorry, not interested," he said. "Round and round and round we go..."

The demon perched in front of Sam and stared at him.

"Hmm, been there done that."

The demon stepped in front of Andrew and quickly shook his head before shifting his sights around the bar.

"No poetic vampire with a soul," he remarked. "So I am deducing that we are gathered here today to discuss..."

The demon moved back in front of Sam.

"Your very popular 'swapping' lives club. Big brother declined to attend?"

"I'm here representing him," Sam muttered.

"Mr. Winchester wishes to discuss his brother's contract," Giles interjected.

The demon stuffed his hands in his pockets and shook his head. He stared at his impeccably manicured fingernails.

"Sorry, but the terms of his contract are non-negotiable," he said as he shifted his eyes to Sam. "You live, he dies. He lives, YOU die. It's an absolute. So if you're here representing him, I assume you're choosing option two."

The demon grinned and waited for a minute as Sam remained still.

"No?"

He shook his head.

"I was under the impression you Winchesters were so eager to fall on the sword for each other," he cracked. "One drops, another rises and so on and so on...one big happy zombie family eh?"

"There must be something that will null and void the contract," Giles emphasized.

The demon scoffed as he admired his Rolex watch.

"What would you have to offer in exchange that is as heavily desired as a Winchester soul?"

The demon edged toward Giles with a scrutinizing glare.

"One of your dutiful Slayers, Ripper? Well, don't bother; those girls are like cockroaches now, stamp one out and another skittles along. Maybe a decade ago when you had only one to bring to the plate, we would have something to talk about."

"Perhaps there is a dark soul that has remained elusive," Giles replied. "With the help of my team, we can capture it in exchange for Mr. Winchester."

The demon snorted in amusement.

"Well, what satisfaction is there in taking an evil soul?" the demon posed. "Now, IF you were to offer me a soul even more valuable than one Dean Winchester, you might have a bloody chance in Hell of keeping my interest, say, oh, Elvis in Graceland over the silly Vegas imitators?"

Sam and Giles drew grim frowns.

"You want the Slayer," Sam acknowledged.

"Yes, now THAT soul is number one on the most wanted list downstairs. You cannot fathom how many demons want to maim her, flay her, behead her, stab her...oh I could prattle on about all the delicious ways she'd be tormented for eternity..."

Giles flared his conviction.

"We will not wager her," he stated firmly.

"It is interesting how she is not here either," the demon pointed out. "Did she decline to attend? Does she not care about your brother's situation?"

Sam gulped as he, Giles and Andrew exchanged looks. The demon shined his intrigue.

"Ah, I smell a bloody conspiracy," he said. "Well, she's not dead or I would have heard about it. So, she's very much alive but not willing to fall on the sword. Has she gone a bit jaded since the rise of her little pet slayers?"

Sam, Giles and Andrew remained silent as the demon stared at them with calculating eyes.

"There must be someone else," Sam posed sharply.

The demon gave a flat smile.

"Well, then that would mean you would have some hope of saving your brother and I can't have that," he remarked. "So no, hate to tell you...no, actually I'm relishing in telling you, in a couple of months, one Dean Winchester is due for a trip downstairs. Tell him to pack light; it's unseasonably hot there this year."

The demon flashed a wicked grin before strolling toward the door.

"Good to see you Ripper," he said before exiting.

As the door swung shut, Sam reeled with disappointment. Giles picked up his bag and coat.

"We will not give up Sam," he stated. "As soon as I return home, we will look into every avenue."

"Yes Young Skywalker, Darth Vadar will not win!" Andrew roared.

Sam let out a sigh as he picked up his notebook.

"Um, thanks for everything," he said. "And uh...if there is anyway we could keep Buffy out of the loop, I don't think it would be good for her to know what's going on considering her um, condition."

Giles drew paternal concern as he nodded.

"Yes, we have all remained vigilant in no longer exposing Buffy to supernatural elements. She is to be a new mother soon and that is her life now."

Giles shifted his attention on Andrew.

"Andrew, it is imperative you do not disclose the details of this meeting or the situation concerning Sam's brother," he said sternly.

"Keep intel from the Queen of Demon Butt Kicking? That's sacrilege!"

"I know how you feel about Buffy Andrew, but she is in the family way, she does not need stress or any involvement in the demon world anymore. She is not a Slayer anymore. We must protect her and her child."

Andrew moped but gave a nod.

"Princess Leia and her little one shall not be harmed by the Dark Side of the Force," Andrew said in a booming voice.

Giles rolled his eyes as the three walked out of the saloon.

Several more weeks later:

Dean flipped fervently through the pages of a worn copy of Dr. Spock's book when he heard the door unlocking. He stuffed the book under the pillow behind his head and hastily flipped on the television just as Sam walked into the room.

"Hey, where you been?"

Sam pulled his jacket off and tossed it on a chair.

"Just went for a walk, trying to clear my head," he said.

"Oh."

Sam glanced at the television screen when he heard a series of moans.

"Uh, I'm gonna...hit the shower."

"Okay."

Sam walked into the bathroom and shut the door behind him. Dean waited until he heard the water running before he pulled his book out. His eyes widened when he was exposed to several diagrams of the female anatomy during the third trimester. As the sounds of moans staggered in the room, Dean hit the mute button while his eyes remained on the book in his hand.

After Dean went to bed, Sam glanced at his cell phone as it buzzed on the table. He picked it up and saw a text message waiting from a restricted number. Sam collected his laptop and went outside, quickly navigating to the chat room he was directed to from the text message link.

_Hello Young Skywalker, I'm afraid our team is having the worst luck. Demons are not willing to help us no matter how much we threaten them and the spells we have looked into do not seem to work. Do not give up young Jedi Master, we are working diligently to help you. _

Sam heaved a sigh of disappointment and typed a simple thank you to Andrew.

One month before the deadline:

Sam contacted Andrew several times throughout the weeks, but his messages went unanswered. Giles paid a courtesy call informing him that a great rise in evil had occupied much of his team's time but they had not forgotten about Sam. All Sam could do was force out a thank you, as his anxiety built every hour. Despite expressing his desire to live, Dean hadn't done much to help find any outs to his deal, favoring spending what time he did have left at a bar.

When Dean emerged from the bathroom, dressed to go out, Sam bit back a resentful frown.

"Where are you off too?"

"I have to take care of some stuff on my list."

Sam blew out a breath of frustration.

"So that's it?"

Dean hung his eyes to the floor.

"You tried Sammy, you tried all you could but you keep coming up with nothing," he stated. "So yeah, this is it."

Dean let out a long, sorrowful breath as he opened the door.

"Don't wait up," he said.

Several hundred miles later:

After pulling off the highway and veering toward downtown Cohasset, Dean scoped out the people strolling along the walkways. He noticed all the retail stores, restaurants, shopping centers, historical buildings and other metro centers before he located the hall of records.

Posing under an alias, Dean searched for almost a half hour until he found the information he was looking for. He scribbled the address on a scrap of paper and stuffed it in his pocket, giving a wave and a friendly smile to the young female clerk who had helped him.

When he settled back inside his car, he glanced at the address and widened his eyes in disbelief when he noticed the name of the street.

"Serenity Road?"

Veering back through the downtown district, he made a few quick turns before locating the pockets of neighborhood communities. He glanced at all the parks lining the road, scoped out a few kids hanging out on the grass and honed his senses. No creepy "I want to eat you" expressions, just happy children running through the park. He heaved a sigh of relief as he continued to scrutinize the people in the area and the dark pockets between complexes. He made another couple of turns, snaking down the long stretch of newly paved road until he pulled to the curb. He double checked the address on the paper before cutting the engine.

Buffy let out a yawn as she descended the stairs and made her way to the kitchen. She rolled her eyes at the dirty bowl Dawn had left in the sink. She was grateful Xander had come along on this visit, staving off some of the annoyance her sister rained upon her over the past week. Xander had graciously offered to take Dawn out to dinner, the Cineplex and the late hours bookstore as well. So tonight, she was bent on relaxing in the bathtub and then getting some sleep. With Xander around, he had made some last minute checks to the baby furniture and even stocked her fridge and cabinets with formula, vitamins, diapers, everything she was going to need in the next couple of months.

As she mulled over what to throw together for dinner, she heard the doorbell chiming through the house. She furrowed her brows in wonder, not expecting company and Xander had promised to keep Dawn out late. She shuffled barefoot down the hall, feeling the swelling in her feet and, well just about everywhere. She very rarely went out the past month, feeling immensely heavy with self consciousness, especially in such a college town like Cohasset. While her neighborhood had an abundance of families and single moms, downtown was for the partying crowd, full of thin, athletic girls out looking for a good time. She had avoided trips to town at night, favoring a stay on the couch reading an endless amount of literature on child rearing and baby proofing the house. She was content to be at home as the due date neared.

She let out another yawn as she swung the door open.

Dean looked off down the street as he waited on the porch. The neighborhood was quiet and seemingly quaint but in his experience that didn't necessarily mean it was safe. He glanced briefly over the two level house when he heard the locks on the door unlatching.

It seemed like a year since he had seen her and he found his nerves creeping up through his system as he rocked back on his heels, waiting for her to open the door. After a minute, he felt the beads of cold perspiration painting his face and wondered if this trip was a bad idea. He had a handful of hours before he left the world and he should have just drowned himself in an abundance of alcohol. He had for all intents and purposes, spoke the truth to Sam about expediting more things on his 'bucket list'. He had pawned off a few things for some quick cash but when he got back in the car, instead of heading out to a bar, he found himself on the highway and now, now he was standing on the porch waiting for someone he hadn't seen in many months, someone he vowed he would never see again.

"This is a bad idea," he muttered.

As he took a step off the porch, the door creaked open. Dean froze on the porch, debating whether to turn around or just keep walking.

"Hello?"

Hearing the familiar voice blasted through his momentary lapse in movement, as he slowly shifted around.

Buffy widened her eyes in immense surprise when she saw who was at her door.

"Dean!" she gasped.

Dean felt his eyes wandering over Buffy, soaking in the sight of her after several months. Her very swollen belly protruded out from the flannel pajamas she had on and her golden locks were tied back in a loose ponytail. He broke into a wide grin as Buffy stared up at him with wider eyes.

"Um, wow," she said.

"Uh, surprise," he said.

Buffy blinked rapidly as she leaned in the doorway.

"Yeah, no kidding," she replied. "Are you just passing through?"

Dean gave a casual shrug as he felt his heart beat dancing a little from the impact of seeing her again.

"Yeah, I realized I wasn't too far away so, I thought, what the hell, now's a good a time as any to see how you've been. You did say I could look you up."

"Yeah, I did, but I never really expected you to take me up on my invitation."

"Well, if you really didn't mean it, I can go."

As he pivoted toward the walkway, Buffy shook her head.

"No, I'm glad you did, I'm just REALLY surprised."

"Yeah, I'm sorry I'm just stopping in without any notice..."

Buffy shined a bright smile as she shook her head.

"It's okay, really. Did you want to come in?" she asked as she widened the door.

"Actually, uh, I thought you'd...come out," he said as he nodded toward his car.

Buffy crinkled her face and furrowed her brows.

"Huh?"

"I thought you and I could go out tonight," he clarified.

Buffy shrouded with a bewildered look.

"Uh...you want to go out?"

"Yeah, did you eat already? I know it's kind of late for dinner but uh, maybe you can have a snack with me."

Buffy stared at him in immense disbelief.

"You want to go out...to eat?"

"Yeah," he said firmly with a smile.

"With - me?"

Dean chuckled deeply at her confusion.

"Yeah you, unless you got another blonde ex Slayer with a killer grip hiding back there."

Dean chuckled again as Buffy deepened her puzzled expression.

"But...have you SEEN me? Like really seen me?" she asked with a sheepish look.

Dean gave a pleasant grin as he looked her over.

"Yeah, and I must say, I'm really digging the apple pie pajamas," he cheered. "Those are awesome."

When his amusement settled, he noticed her still steeping with wonder.

"Come on, go change and we'll grab a bite, catch up."

Dean gently brushed by her and stepped into the house. He gave a quick look around as she shut the door.

"I like your house," he remarked. "Looks like you've settled in quite nicely."

"Well, I'm trying," she confessed. "It gets easier as the days go on, but when I first got here I was like, what do I do now?"

"In a short time, you'll be begging for down time," he pointed.

Buffy drew a wistful smile as her hand impulsively clutched her abdomen.

"Yeah," she sighed.

After a short silence, Buffy glanced over Dean and smiled.

"I still can't believe you're here," she said.

"Well believe it," he said. "And believe that I'm starving so go on and change, I'll hang out."

"Um..."

Seeing the hesitation thicken around her eyes, Dean heaved a sigh.

"What's wrong?"

Buffy shifted in her stance as she leaned her weight against the banister.

"Are you sure you don't want to just...order takeout or something? I mean, I was kind of planning a night...at home considering..."

"Considering you're gonna have a lot of nights at home, you should want to spend one last night out and about."

Buffy moped as she glanced at Dean and then the blaring swell of her abdomen.

"It seems like a pretty cool town," he added. "Lots of stuff to do, nice parks, schools and I didn't see one creepy looking kid in the neighborhood."

As the hesitation lingered, Dean gently urged Buffy upstairs.

"Geez Summers, you are a horrible host," he moaned in jest. "A guest comes to town and this is what you do? Shoot down everything they want to do?"

Buffy perched on the step and let out deep breath.

"Um, okay but, I really don't feel like walking around too much so..."

"That's fine, now go...put your face on."

Buffy blinked before she unintentionally giggled. As she took a few more steps up the stairs, she glanced back at Dean who encouraged her to keep moving with a two handed wave.

When she got to the bedroom, she shut the door and picked up the phone. She picked through her closet as she waited for the line to pick up.

"Hey B, what's going on? Little sis driving you crazy again?"

"No, no, well, yeah but that's not why I'm calling," she said. "You'll uh...you'll never guess who showed up here..."

As Buffy pulled a few options from her closet and threw them on the bed, she updated Faith.

"What? Hottie hunter is in town? Woo! I told ya he had a thing for ya B. So, you are going out right?"

Buffy bit her lip as sifted through more clothes.

"I don't really want to considering I feel like a cruise line," she moaned.

"Ah, quit that kind of talk B, besides, he's already seen your bump and yet he's downstairs waiting to take you out, sounds like a stand up guy to me," Faith noted. "And this is pretty much the last time you're gonna be a single girl, so...don't do anything I wouldn't do."

When Faith chuckled, Buffy moaned.

"Are you kidding Faith? It's just dinner," she clarified. "A quick dinner hopefully but nothing more."

"Right, plan for after you pop the little Slayer out," Faith teased.

Buffy shook her head in amusement.

"Why did I even bother calling you?"

"You wanted to brag that a hot guy showed up out of the blue to take you on a date."

"It's NOT a date," Buffy replied firmly.

"Uh huh."

"It's not."

"I gotta go B, evil doesn't take a night off to go out with hot boys, SO..."

Buffy rolled her eyes but smiled.

"Okay, I'll talk to you later."

"My cell is on and so is Giles' so just give us a ring when the tyke is here," Faith requested.

"I will, bye."

Buffy picked up a long red sweater and draped it over her body. She looked at herself in the mirror and scowled.

"Hello Tomato," she groaned.

She tossed the sweater aside and picked up a dark blue strapless top, studying herself in the mirror.

"I'm a blueberry, I'm good for you," she cracked.

She let out a heavy sigh as she picked up another option, a tan cap sleeved shirt.

"Who am I? I frequent the desert and carry water in my hump, yep, I'm a camel!"

Buffy growled softly in her throat as she chucked the option on the floor.

A short time later, Dean heard the soft padding of footsteps coming down the stairs. He wandered out from the living area and eyed Buffy curiously as she reached the landing.

"Uh, are you planning on making PJ's a fashion trend?" he cracked.

Buffy deepened her immense mope as she reached the ground level.

"Look Dean, I um, I'm glad you stopped in, and I appreciate the invite but um...I'm gonna pass."

"What? Why?"

When he looked genuinely clueless, her eyes dropped to her stomach.

"Uh this is why," she answered, cracking with a remorseful look.

Buffy watched Dean as he glanced very briefly at her stomach before meeting her eyes.

"And?"

"And...I'm not too enthusiastic about..."

"About what?"

"About...the looks I'll get being like this, the assumptions people make, the nerve of old ladies trying to pad my stomach like they're allowed to...I just don't want to deal with it," she said as her eyes moistened.

Dean blinked with amazement that the girl he had met back in Cicero, the girl who had fought tooth and nail against a bevy of changelings, the girl who had chewed him a new ass about snooping into her life, was feeling immensely self-conscious about her image.

"It bothers you that much?"

"Yeah," she confessed. "So, I'd rather just stay in. But thank you for offering me a night out."

Buffy sniffed as her eyes glistened with more moisture. When she saw the distinct disappointment knitting over Dean's face, she sunk with guilt.

"I'm sorry," she said.

Dean hitched his hands on his hips and sighed. After a moment he shook his head and met her eyes.

"Just ignore all those douche bags," he said.

Buffy shined her shock.

"Uh, what?"

"Who gives a crap what other people think about you or how they see you," Dean stated firmly. "And as for those little old ladies..."

Dean cracked his fists and mocked a glare.

"I'll take those Ben Gay loving Grammies down if they come near you with their wrinkly fingers!"

Buffy stared at Dean in awe before she burst into laughter.

"Come on go back upstairs and then let's go get something to eat," he said. "I'm wasting away here!"

Dean feigned a meek look as he purposefully lost his balance.

"Don't let me starve to death after everything I've done for you," he moaned.

Buffy snorted with more laughter, seeing the intent to cheer her up painted all over his face.

"Okay," she said softly as she turned back up the stairs.

After a time, Buffy returned down the stairs after settling on a stretchy long black skirt and a black smock peasant top with gold trim on the sleeves. She had smoothed her hair back into a ponytail and put on light makeup along with some comfy plain black flip flops. Despite a long study in the mirror, she dripped with doubt as she strolled into the living room. Dean looked up from the couch as she tugged on the bottom of her top.

"Do I look okay?" she asked as she grabbed her purse.

"Yeah, you look great," he said. "Wonderful."

Buffy took in his enthusiastic smile and rolled her eyes in jest.

"You're such a liar," she said. "A nice liar though."

She threw him an appreciative smile as she fetched her coat.

"Alright, let's go before I change my mind for the umpteenth time."

Dean shot to his feet and walked with Buffy out the front door.

After a quick ride to downtown, Dean helped Buffy out of the car and they strolled along the boulevard. Buffy blew out a breath as she felt several pairs of eyes on her. When the mixture of aromas unsettled her stomach, she quickly moved down to a café on the corner. When they were seated in a booth, Dean eagerly glanced at the menu as Buffy took in the stares. She rolled her eyes and tried to collect her patience as she glanced at her company. As a young, skinny waitress took notice of Dean, Buffy stamped down a groan. She was very close to making up an excuse to bail but Dean seemed to notice her agitation and sent the waitress away.

"You want to go somewhere else?"

"Honestly? Yes."

Dean let out a breath and propped the menu on the table.

"Okay, uh, there are plenty of places to eat around here."

When they were back in the car, Dean paused before turning on the engine.

"Where do you want to go?"

Seeing her answer, Dean passed it off.

"Come on Summers, aren't you supposed to be...having cravings or something?"

Buffy widened her eyes a little at the question.

"Uh, cravings?"

"Yeah, you know, you always hear about moms-to-be wanting to eat weird stuff like...bacon and chocolate or...pickles and ice cream...aren't you craving anything like that?"

Buffy grimaced at those food combinations.

"No, not really...are you?"

Dean cocked his head in genuine contemplation. Buffy snickered at the wonder in his expression before he waved a hand.

"This isn't about me, if you could eat anything you want right now, what would it be?"

Buffy adjusted the belt strapped across her stomach and drew a sheepish expression.

"Well, I've um, kind of been on this...hot dog kick lately," she confessed.

"Hot dogs?"

"Yeah, um, hot dogs topped with chili, or pickles, or Mac and cheese."

Dean widened his eyes at the combination.

"Mac and cheese?"

"Yeah, I guess that's my one weird craving."

"That's not weird, that sounds kind of...tasty actually."

Buffy snickered again when she saw the sparks of interest in his eyes. He gunned the engine as he lit up with a smile.

"Okay, I got just the place, if you're craving tasty dogs, then you have to have a Michigan Dog. They can put any topping you want on it."

"Michigan Dog?"

"Yeah, they're the absolute best. I'm telling you."

Buffy glanced at the highway sign as Dean pulled onto the interstate.

"Uh, where is this place?"

"It's a little ways away, no worries," he said.

When his glance turned into a stare, Buffy frowned with wonder.

"What?"

Dean shook off his stare and focused on the road.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to stare it's just...you really do look great."

Buffy stared at Dean with a cynical look. Dean heaved a sigh and beamed a margin of annoyance.

"Take a compliment, will you?"

Buffy forced herself to relax as the car drifted further down the highway. She gave an appreciative smile.

"Thanks."

As they passed mile after mile marker, Buffy felt the beads of anxiety stitching through her body again.

"Tell me again, exactly where we're going?"

After a long silence of hesitation, Dean flashed a slightly apprehensive look as he answered.

"Uh...Michigan?"

Buffy widened her eyes.

"What?" she gasped. "We're going to Michigan?"

"Well yeah, it's called a Michigan Dog," Dean clarified.

"I just thought that was the name of the place! I didn't think you actually meant the state! Take me back."

"But we're almost there, and Michigan really isn't that far in retrospect," Dean said. "And these really are the best dogs you'll ever have."

Taking in the determination in his eyes, Buffy heaved a sigh.

"They better be," she moaned.

After a long drive, Dean finally veered off the highway and maneuvered through several blocks until they were surrounded by farmland, after another couple of miles, Dean turned down a dirt road through more fields of tall grass. Buffy noticed the road came to a dead end where a lone, red and blue hot dog stand hugged the edge. Her eyes widened at the crowds of people waiting in a line that snaked down the dirt road.

"I guess you weren't kidding," she remarked. "People come all the way out here for a hot dog?"

"Well, there are a bunch of other franchises but this is the original one," Dean imparted. "The BEST one in my mind."

Dean pulled to the shoulder of the dirt road behind a stack of cars and cut the engine. Buffy wobbled up to the end of the line and looked around the vast fields of grass.

"Talk about the middle of nowhere," she said. "How do you even know about this place?"

"Found it by accident, I was...eight, nine years old and my dad was driving through, Sammy and I were dying of hunger and all of a sudden as we flew down this road, we smelled chili and cheese and then saw this stand in a flash. We begged by dad to turn around and thank god he did because I would have missed out on this place."

As the aromas wafted in the air, Buffy noticed the placard above the stand listing all the toppings available. Her belly stirred with hunger as she read over the various selections. After several minutes, the line moved painfully slow.

"Okay my feet ache," she moaned. "I need to sit somewhere."

"There are some tables behind the stand. Grab one. What do you want?"

Buffy rattled off several choices and combinations of toppings. Dean widened his eyes incredulously.

"Uh, why don't I call you over when I get up to the line? Or...I can just order one of everything?"

A long while later, surrounded by an assortment of hot dogs topped with various items, Buffy let out moan of contentment as she polished off one of hers.

"Oh my god, you were so right," she said with a gleeful smile.

"Wait - what?"

Dean shoved a napkin toward her.

"Could you put that in writing?" he joked as he wiped some cheese from his mouth.

Buffy sucked down her icy drink as she dug into another hot dog. After a few bites, she took in the starry night sky, the comfortable weather and best of all, the To-Go customers who packed their orders up and took off in their cars, leaving her and Dean isolated in the open field.

"So um...been working a lot?" she asked to break the silence.

"Yeah always but...I don't want to talk shop tonight," Dean replied.

"Oh um, okay...so..."

"So...what have you set up for yourself, working a real job?"

"Yeah, one of my neighbors Janie, she's a single mom and she got me a referral for this place called the Learning Train, it's a children's store with educational activities and clothes and parent interaction."

"Oh, that sounds cool."

"It is and it's fun, I get to be around kids and the benefits are top notch, the pay is great and part of the perks is free daycare at their corporate office. Oh and Janie and I work the same shifts so we carpool..."

As Buffy rambled on a bit about her job, Dean soaked in her genuine elation and the intense sparkle in her eyes.

"...so I got that bill and I was like...I actually have to pay it instead of bailing..."

Dean chuckled through his bite as Buffy went on into another lament about domestic adjustments. Pretty soon, Dean noticed the employees of the hot dog stand closing up as the last few customers were served. Buffy heaved a yawn after her last bite.

"I better get you home," Dean said. "You got a big day coming up soon huh?"

Buffy drew a wide eyed look as she clamped a hand on her stomach.

"Yeah, let's hope so...I mean, Janie was over a week passed her due date when she finally had her girl so I really don't want that to happen. It's hard enough getting around as it is."

Once settled inside the car, Dean made his way back to the main road. Buffy settled back into the seat, absorbed the rumble of the car engine, soaked in the brightness of the stars hanging low over the horizon and flashed a smile at Dean.

"Okay, okay, I'm kind of glad you coerced me into going out tonight," she admitted.

"Coerced? I didn't coerce you."

"You kind of did I mean, you...charmed me into it."

Dean mocked an offended glare.

"I did no such thing, I can't help if I have natural charm."

Buffy giggled at his humorous expression as she enjoyed her time out. After awhile, she let out a big yawn.

"Am I boring you?"

Buffy swung her eyes from the window and snickered at Dean's exaggerated pout.

"No, it's not you...it's me..."

"Really? Oh...okay."

Dean deepened his mope as Buffy fell into another bout of laughter. As her amusement filled the car, Dean absorbed her smile for probably one of the last times. Buffy rumbled a little longer before she felt a blast of fluid streaming down her legs. Her eyes widened with panic as she gasped deeply.

Dean furrowed out of his affable mood and flashed his concern as Buffy clutched her abdomen.

"What's wrong?"

Buffy sucked in a breath as her panic increased.

"My...water just broke."

As she began hyperventilating, Dean stared at her with disbelief.

"Oh...crap."

Buffy leaned forward slightly and winced as she started feeling sharp pains cutting through her.

"Get me home now!" she barked.

Dean slammed his foot on the gas pedal, sending the speedometer needle flying sharply to the right. As he sped down the lone highway, Buffy shined her sheer agony as more pain hit her.

"Drive faster!" she growled as she clenched the sides of the seat.

"I'm flooring it but we're still pretty far out from any major town."

"I hate stupid little towns!" she moaned. "Can't you call for an ambulance?"

Dean juggled watching the road, checking on Buffy and fishing out his cell phone. He glanced at the reception and frowned. After waving the phone around, he shook his head.

"No signal."

Buffy blew out a huge breath as the pain speared through her. Her head rolled back and forth as her nails dug into the upholstery of her seat.

"Oh god...I can't be having her now! I can't...I can't...breathe in here," she cried.

Dean gauged her sheer discomfort as she slumped against the passenger seat. He yanked the car to the side of the road, parking on the grassy field before he raced around the other side. He popped open the passenger side door and helped Buffy out of the car, gently sitting her up against the car.

"It's too hot," she moaned as she started tugging her coat off.

As she continued to breathe through the pain, she heard a rustling behind her. Dean returned to her side with several wool blankets and a cup of ice he had swiped from the hot dog stand. He stuffed a blanket behind her body for comfort and set the cup of ice beside her.

Buffy bellowed ragged breaths as she was bombarded with more sharp pains and aches. Her eyes went wide with anxiety as Dean crouched beside her.

"I can't have her now, I can't," she cried. "It's too soon – something could be wrong and I...I can't get to a hospital because I'm in a stupid Podunk town!"

Dean quickly peeled his jacket off as Buffy grew more agitated.

"Tell me what you need," he soothed.

"I need a doctor," she groaned.

Her fearful expression shifted into a scowl.

"But I can't have one because YOU just HAD to take me to Michigan! To the middle of nowhere!" she growled. "Uhnnnnnnnnnnnnng! And now...I'm stuck here with you...in a field that smells like...corn and...cow poo!"

Dean inadvertently burst into laughter at her comment. He gulped when he met her glowering eyes.

"So glad...I...amuse you!" she barked. "Buffy the Bright White Whale Show is now OVER!"

"Would you stop with the 'I'm as big as a whale' pity bit? What you're going through is natural and...amazing."

Buffy deepened her annoyed glare.

"Oh? Well, feel free to take over the labor pains anytime you want," she griped. "I could punch you in the stomach if you need help sympathizing!"

Dean snickered and shook his head. "Wow, and I thought you were difficult when we met."

After she glared up at Dean, he propped some more padding behind her back and head.

"I can't have her now Dean, I can't," Buffy said softly.

"You're not gonna have her NOW now," he said. "It'll be a couple of hours, maybe more."

"Then you can get me to a clinic or an ER."

"Yeah I could try and find one but do you really want to ride around in a car in this state for hours?"

Buffy blew out a series of ragged breaths as the pain continued.

"No but...this isn't what I expected, I expected a nice room with TV and Jell-O and access to body numbing drugs," she moaned. "Instead I get this and..."

Buffy burrowed her head into the blanket and wailed for a minute. After a moment, her agony subsided as she tried to stabilize her breathing.

"You're gonna be fine."

"How do you know?" she asked anxiously. "I don't know! I don't know anything about having a baby, or raising her or...taking care of her. All I've ever known is demons and slaying and stopping the end of the world. THIS, this is...scarier than anything I've ever done! I'm gonna be a horrible mom."

As tears welled in her eyes and her chest heaved with ragged breaths, Dean pushed the tendrils off her face.

"No, you'll be a great mom."

Buffy rolled her head across the blanket and heaved a sigh as the pangs dissipated a degree.

"How do you know? You don't know anything about me," she moaned.

"No, I don't know everything about you, but what I do know is that you're strong, stubborn, and fierce and...you have a big heart and you're gonna love that kid and protect her every day of her life. Of those things I know for certain."

Buffy panted raggedly as she took in his sincere expression.

"Am I...really having a baby?" she asked meekly.

"Yeah, you really are."

Buffy blew out a breath as her expression grew sad.

"Are you gonna leave?"

Dean beamed his puzzlement as he sat beside her, leaning against the car.

"Leave? You think I'd just take off and leave you here to fend for yourself?"

"I don't know...maybe..."

"Did I leave you alone in Cicero when I found out who you were?"

"No."

"Okay, so there's your answer."

Buffy flashed her agony as her back blistered with aches and her abdomen rumbled with pangs.

"Just let me know whatever you need."

"You got any drugs?"

Dean blinked in surprise at her response as he uttered a laugh.

"Uh, no, 'fraid not."

Buffy drew a hard mope.

"Well what good are you then? I feel aches and pain everywhere and it doesn't seem to be stopping."

"Well try...talking about something to distract yourself...tell me a story or something...about your life, about slaying, whatever..."

Buffy pushed herself straighter up against the car before she gazed at Dean.

"Dawn doesn't like you."

Dean snorted with amusement.

"Yeah, I pretty much caught on about that."

He waved a hand dismissively.

"But, she's just protective of you."

"No...she thinks you're just like..."

Buffy dropped her eyes to the ground.

"Cameron," she finished very softly.

As immense awkwardness passed through the air, Dean tried veering away from the subject.

"I uh...I understand so no need to get into it."

Buffy shook her head as she rubbed her hands around her abdomen.

"I want to tell you...for some reason..."

Her eyes welled with emotion as she let out a deep breath.

"I feel like you're the only one who could understand...Cameron was...he was a good guy when I met him...he just moved to my old hometown, he was going to grad school...and then a couple days later, his dad, a museum curator, was killed in a ritualistic sacrifice by a group of demons...he was completely torn...broken...his mom had just died of cancer and his dad was all he had left...I got there a hair too late to save his dad...but he'd already seen evil...all I could do was try to help him understand, to help him through his grief...he was so lost and alone and I really felt for him...so I came around a lot to check on him and I'd just talk to him mostly...then...one night..."

Dean noticed Buffy's eyes rolling to her abdomen.

"I uh...I never get that involved but Cam and I...I felt his pain and he had his moments when he wasn't so broken up by grief...anyway, after that night...he started to...change...his behavior was erratic...he started tagging along on all my patrols, wanting to know everything about hunting and evil...he got really scary...obsessed...he started hunting on his own – I tried to steer him away but he wouldn't listen to me or anyone else about the dangers...he was spiraling...eventually he just took off without a trace or a word to me..."

Buffy forced out several ragged breaths before she continued.

"A couple weeks later, I got sick...which never happens to me so um, that's when I found out...and while Dawn and the rest of my friends wanted me to move on, I wanted to find Cam. I just thought, if he knew about the baby, that it would draw him back, that he'd get help and that we'd have...a future...but..."

Buffy felt her cheeks dampening as the memory seared vividly in her mind.

"Faith decided she'd go looking for him – she said she wanted me to have closure so that I'd move on...eventually she did find him in Oklahoma only, he wasn't the same...he um, was possessed by a demon calling himself Yoseth – he said that Cam sought him out, summoned him, begged evil to take him because he wanted to understand true darkness...Yoseth was some kind of soldier that got trapped in Hell...he escaped when there was some big showdown in Wyoming...the uh...Devil's Gate got opened...I don't know if you were around or had heard of it?"

Dean stared at Buffy in immense astonishment as her eyes grew glassy.

"Uh...I've...heard of it," he acknowledged.

"I figured you probably would have, anyway, he said that he heard Cam's call and went to him and that Cam told him he wanted to die and wanted the demon to take his body. And when the demon asked him why, he said that God had taken his mother and his father and he wanted to revenge, but not against the demon, against all that was good and pure, because he blamed God for letting his family die. So Yoseth took him over and he slaughtered almost a dozen people in a small town church..."

Buffy bit down on her shaking lips as tears streamed down her cheeks.

"That's how Faith found him, she tracked the murders and when she found Cam...she...she...she tried to exorcise the demon first but...he kept killing people inside that church so she...she just killed him..."

Dean absorbed the shocking revelation about her baby's father and felt his stomach turning over with nausea. He couldn't help but feel responsible for Cameron's downward spiral that pushed him toward being a meat suit for evil. He hadn't ripped the Devil's Gate open, but it was the Colt – the Colt entrusted in his care by his father that they had lost track of; that eventually fell into Jake's hands thereby allowing him to unlock the crypt and consequently unleashing hundreds of demons from Hell. And even though Yellow Eyes was dead, his soldiers and loyal followers were out there, and one had answered the call of a desperate, broken young guy seeking answers, seeking vengeance against God. A young guy who was so consumed with his grief and anger that he threw away a life with the Slayer and his kid.

Dean pushed himself to his feet as the weight of Buffy's heart wrenching story hit him like a tsunami.

"I'm gonna...get some more...blankets," he said as he charged to the trunk.

He fumbled with the keys and flipped the trunk open. As he stared blankly into the trunk, his mind still spun with the reality that before they had ever met, he and Buffy had shared a tragic connection. He let out a deep sigh as the walls of his throat constricted with rage and sorrow.

"Dammit," he muttered.

When Buffy's moans of agony cut through the silence, he stowed away his emotions, sucked in a deep breath and stamped the trunk shut. As he returned to Buffy's side, she was struggling to peel off her long sleeve top off her head. She panted in relief as her black undershirt was already damp with perspiration.

"It's still so hot and I'm thirsty," she moaned.

Dean fetched up the cup of ice cubes and drew it to her mouth.

"Here."

Buffy fished a cube out with her mouth and sucked on it through her heavy pants. As her pangs swelled and subsided, Buffy grew more anxious and irritable under the night sky.

"I can't believe I'm having my baby in field, with no drugs!" she groaned. "What if something is wrong? She's too early Dean, she can't come out yet, she can't. Something must be wrong."

Dean glanced at his watch and angled it for her view.

"It's a little after ten," he said. "It's going to be awhile before it happens."

"How do you know?"

"Were those last contractions faster than the previous ones?"

"Uh, I think so."

"Then uh...trust me."

Buffy heaved more ragged breaths as she drew a curious expression.

"Are you getting a signal yet?"

Dean took out his phone and checked the reception.

"'Fraid not, sorry," he said.

Buffy widened her eyes with great apprehension.

"So you're...you're going to bring my baby into the world? Are you kidding?"

Dean absorbed her annoyed look as she clutched her abdomen.

"I know this isn't what you wanted but...you don't really have a choice."

Buffy moped deeply as she eyed her surroundings.

"Well...No looking!"

"What?"

"I know you've probably seen a lot of them Dean but you...you can't see mine!"

"Are you kidding?"

"Do I look like I'm kidding?" she growled.

Buffy glared with heavy agitation as her chest heaved rapidly.

"What do you want me to do? Start running for the forty yard line and wait for you to squeeze the kid into the air? Come on."

"Well, how...have you ever delivered a baby before? What's your medical background?"

Seeing her anxiety rising, Dean gently clapped a hand on her shoulder.

"It'll be okay, I promise."

Buffy snapped out of her anxiety and shifted into trepidation, her face knitting with a pout.

"I don't know if I can do this," she moaned. "I'm not ready...I...I didn't go to all the Lamaze classes, I...I didn't even want to watch the video, I thought I'd have doctors and nurses to help me and...it was just going to be me..."

"Dawn wasn't even going to be with you?"

Buffy shook her head as picked out another ice cube.

"No, I wouldn't let her, and it's not like I wanted my male friends in the room with me...and my mom...she's gone and...it's just me..."

Buffy sniffled as tears welled in her eyes as she stared up at Dean.

"This is probably the worst date you have ever been on huh," she moaned.

Dean burst into laughter when he absorbed her sheepish look.

"Believe it or not, I've had worse."

Buffy drew a skeptical frown.

"You're just saying that."

Dean shrugged as he took in their surroundings.

"Maybe but look up at the sky, there's like a million stars shining down on us, you can breathe the brisk air and not stuffy hospital air, and you're about to pop out one super powered kid...in a weird way, this is kind of awesome."

Buffy bolted forward and grimaced deeply as the pains stirred up again.

"What if I die out here?" she posed.

"You're not going to die," he assured.

Buffy snatched up his hand as contractions slammed through her. Dean widened his eyes as he felt his own wave of pain soaring through his hand.

"Woah, easy on the Slayer grip!" he gasped.

"You are in NO position to make requests!" she growled.

Dean sucked in a breath as he swore he heard bones breaking in his hand. Buffy noticed his pained look and released his hand, shading with guilt.

"Sorry," she moped.

"That's okay," he squeaked. "It's not like I need my hand...for anything."

Several hours later and more hot and cold reactions from Buffy, Dean rubbed the cold from his hands. When another wave of contractions blew through her, Buffy clenched her jaw and scowled.

"When is she gonna be here? Can I push now? Can I go home now?"

Buffy drew scrutinizing eyes to Dean. Dean sat back on his haunches after gauging the amount of dilation from a glance. He let out a breath to stave off his own nerves.

"Alright, it's almost show time, now considering who her mom is, she'll probably come out fast, hard and strong, so...don't kill me," he pleaded.

Buffy shined her cynicism at Dean who brushed a hand over her head.

"Buffy, you HAVE to trust me okay? I'll do whatever I can to get you through this and I won't let anything happen to you or your kid, I swear."

Buffy soaked in his sincere profession as she heaved more ragged breaths. Her lips quavered as she was hit with a wave of emotions along with pangs of pain.

"Okay," she squeaked softly.

Dean cupped her hand and gave her an encouraging nod.

"Okay, here we go, you need to set her off through the gates with a nice, strong Slayer push..."

Buffy propped herself higher against the car as her mind blurred with numbness. She winced deeply as the indescribable pain seared through her body. She roared loudly, hearing her agony echo through the dead of night as she felt a swell in her abdominal muscles.

Dean widened his eyes when he glimpsed the tip of the head.

"Holy cow," he gasped softly. "That is nothing like the diagram."

"What?"

Dean popped his head up.

"Uh, nothing, nothing, you're doing great...keep doing what you're doing..."

Buffy frowned with agitation.

"Nice...words...of...encouragement," she barked.

Buffy flailed forward and grimaced as she roared for a long minute. She sucked in breaths as the pain rippled through her.

"Unghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" she wailed.

Dean kept fervent watch as the baby's head jutted out. When he saw the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck, his eyes widened with panic. He swallowed his mass apprehension as he snatched up his knife and gently cupped the back of the baby's head, quickly cutting through the cord. As Buffy wailed again, he unraveled the cord and cupped the baby's little torso and head in his hands. His hands were shaking and his heart was thundering in his throat as little baby girl Summers was making her arrival. His eyes blistered with moisture as Buffy paused in her motion.

"Dean I...I can't anymore," she cried. "I can't...it's too much..."

Buffy collapsed onto the ground in exhaustion as Dean sniffed and steadied his hands.

"Buffy, you CAN, you can do ANYTHING, you're strong and amazing," he affirmed. "All you need is one little push and she's here. Just one more."

After bellowing with breaths, Buffy propped herself up and clenched her pelvic muscles.

"Thattagirl," Dean cheered softly.

Dean plucked up the blanket as baby girl Summers shrieked sharply. Buffy fell back onto the ground, succumbing to exhaustion again as Dean bundled up the baby.

As the baby shrieked some more, Dean was completely thunderstruck by the little picture of innocence. Her eyelids fluttered open to display her sparkling hazel pools exactly like her mother and a very familiar scowl hung over her cherub face. A tuft of tawny blonde hair hung between her eyes as she looked up at him and quieted down.

Through his fascination, Dean found himself laughing as he cradled the infant in his arms.

"Hey baby Summers, welcome to the world," he said softly.

Dean gazed at her intently, profoundly speechless at the sight of her as she seemed to be studying him. As tears welled in his eyes and escaped down his cheeks, he marveled at the kid who had tapped a greeting to him from behind the walls of her mom so many months ago.

Buffy rolled her head back and forth as she heard her baby's coos.

"Is she okay?"

When she wasn't met with a response, Buffy heaved a breath and propped herself on her elbows.

"Dean?"

Buffy glanced at Dean as he gazed at her baby in immense fascination.

"Dean? Is she okay?"

After a moment of lingering in his marvel, Dean sniffed and broke into a smile.

"Yeah, she's...amazing and perfect and beautiful," he exalted.

Dean handed the bundle over to Buffy as the shrieks started up again.

"And she's yours," Dean added softly.

Buffy stared down at her daughter and wept uncontrollably. Dean scooted back next to Buffy and relished in the delicate face of the crying baby.

"Hi sweetie, I'm your mommy," Buffy cried joyfully.

"Congratulations," Dean said softly.

Buffy gently rocked the infant but stopped after several minutes of not successfully calming her down.

"She won't stop crying," Buffy moaned. "Maybe something's wrong."

Dean sniffed back his own tears of amazement and reached for his flask set by his side.

"Well, she's probably trying to tell you, clean me up mommy, I'm covered in goo," he said as he chuckled deeply.

He soaked a clean rag in water and gently wiped the afterbirth from the baby's face.

"What's that flask filled with?"

Seeing her apprehension, Dean cracked with an assuring smile.

"Holy water, it's all I've got, so, in a way, she is officially blessed now."

Dean patted the baby's face dry as Buffy met his eyes and beamed a grateful smile.

"Thank you," she said.

Dean absorbed her sweet smile and glanced at baby Summers, etching their faces in his memory.

"It was my pleasure."

"Where did you learn so much about babies and...childbirth?"

"Uh...Oprah?"

"You watch...Oprah?" Buffy asked in disbelief.

"Uh...on...occasion," Dean replied.

Buffy widened her grateful smile when her daughter's cries lingered.

"She's still crying," she said. "We should get to a hospital and have her checked out."

Dean helped Buffy to her feet as she clutched her daughter in her arms. After picking everything up off the ground and packing it away in the trunk, Dean eyed the passenger seat with trepidation. He had no safety seat for the kid and the next town was a hundred miles out, which normally would provoke him to travel at his fastest speed.

Buffy hugged her daughter protectively as she leaned against the car. Feeling her throat parched, she reached for the cup of ice cubes and saw the condensation at the bottom.

"Oh, could you hold her one sec, I want to just wash my hands."

As soon as Buffy handed her bundled up baby to Dean, the infant ceased in her cries. Buffy widened her eyes and gasped.

"Are you kidding? How...how did you do that?"

The baby looked up at Dean and giggled, shining a bright smile up at him as he continued to swing her back and forth.

"I have a way with chicks," he cracked.

Buffy rolled her eyes until she saw a distinct paternal instinct bleeding through him as he crooked a finger and brushed it over the baby's cheek, making her coo.

"Hey, look at that, I tamed this little alley cat," he remarked with a smile.

"Alley cat?" Buffy asked as she shook out the condensation and wet her hands.

"Yeah, you know, she came into this world, shrieking, and a little unruly and covered in stuff but now she's clean and...happy."

Dean shrugged as Buffy took the baby back.

"I mean no offense, the image just came to mind when she was roaring her presence. I'm sure you'll pick a perfect name for her."

After driving way below his usual speeds, Dean pulled off the highway and headed toward Cohasset County General. He walked Buffy through the lobby and helped her flag down some nurses. As an hour passed, Dean followed a nurse down to Buffy's room. He perched under the doorway as a nurse checked the infant. Buffy looked up and smiled at Dean. She motioned for him to come in as the nurse finished her check up.

"She's a beautiful, healthy baby," the nurse remarked with a smile.

Buffy beamed a deeply loving smile at her daughter as Dean approached her bedside.

"She's lovely," Buffy sighed.

After another minute of admiring the infant, Buffy glanced at Dean with a heavily appreciative expression.

"It's funny how we seem to end up here," she said. "Me in a hospital, you coming to check in on me, I'm really racking up those IOU cards huh?"

Dean glanced down at Baby Summers who giggled at his acknowledgment. He smiled down at her and took another mental picture of her in a pink cap, her dark curls peeking out from the rim, her little nose crinkling when she cooed. He shot Buffy a dismissive look.

"You don't owe me anything."

"Well, you still get my gratitude and my friendship, always," she affirmed. "I mean it, I really will never forget you. And neither will this precious little one. I'm going to tell her about you all the time. You can bet on that."

Dean eyed the time. He was a handful of hours away from his last day on Earth and as much as he wanted to soak in the sight of these two amazing girls, he couldn't stay.

"I should get going," he stated. "You got anyone to take you home?"

Buffy nodded as she smiled at her daughter.

"Yeah, Xander and Dawn were in a panic when I wasn't home and I don't have to express how much Dawn hated the fact that you delivered my baby but they're happy she's here. They'll be by tomorrow."

Dean nodded.

"Okay, good."

Dean glanced at Baby Summers one more time.

"What's her name by the way? I never thought to ask before."

Buffy shined a proud smile at Dean.

"She didn't have a name until now...it's been a hot debate over the past few months and I was having a hard time deciding...but it's very clear what her name should be. It's...Allie," she announced.

Dean cocked his head in acknowledgment.

"Alley - like alley cat huh?"

Dean chuckled as Buffy scooped her baby up into her arms.

"A-l-l-i-e," she clarified.

"Oh, well that's cute, it's perfect."

Dean brushed a thumb over Allie's rosy cheek. She giggled and smiled up at him.

"She has a middle name too, pending approval."

Dean made a silly face at Allie before he shifted his eyes to Buffy.

"Approval? Whose approval?"

Buffy averted her eyes for a minute before she glanced back at Dean.

"Well, I was originally going to give her my middle name, Anne," she revealed. "But um, after the way she was born...I was thinking of combining it with um...yours..."

Dean shined his surprise.

"Mine?"

"Yeah, um, as in Allie Deanne," Buffy stated with a smile. "I mean, you helped bring her into the world, not to mention she might not even have been born if you hadn't saved my life so I thought it was fitting...are you okay with that?"

Allie burst into a long coo, prompting Dean to shift his eyes back on the beautiful girl.

"Are you kidding? It's more than okay," he said with a smile.

Buffy drew Allie close to Dean. He let out a breath of amazement as he flourished in the sight of little Allie.

"I'm honored," he added softly.

Buffy shined a smile at him before more tears of joy struck her eyes.

"Thank you Dean, again" she said sweetly. "I don't know how I could ever repay your kindness."

Dean sniffed as his eyes thickened with moisture. After fighting back the intense emotion in his system, he allowed a single set of tears to flow. He leaned over and kissed Buffy's forehead before he brushed a hand over Allie's knit capped head.

"Just take care of this precious girl," he requested. "Keep her safe and...be happy."

As more tears threatened to flow, Dean held them back and roped in his composure.

"I uh, I really need to get going," he said shakily.

Buffy shaded with disappointment but gave an understanding nod.

"Will we see you again?"

Dean swallowed the enormous reality that as much as he wished he could see Buffy and Allie again, it was not possible. Today was a celebration of life but tomorrow was a countdown to death. He forced an amused smile on his face.

"Who knows," he said.

"Okay, well, drive safe."

As he headed for the door, Buffy stopped him.

"Wait..."

Dean swung back around as Buffy rummaged through her purse.

"Can I...Can I take a picture of you and Allie? Please? I want to make sure she remembers your face."

Dean saw Buffy's eyes bursting with emotion and reluctantly nodded. He didn't really want to be any kind of fixture in her life knowing he was about to hit the expiration date on his. But he didn't have the heart to deny her parting request. Buffy handed him Allie and she coaxed him to sit in the chair beside the bed. He held back his emotions as he cupped Allie in his arms and gazed down at her. Her hazel eyes danced with curiosity for a minute before she broke into a bright smile and giggled. Buffy heaved a gasp of elation at the instant bond Allie had with the guy who brought her into the world. Buffy snapped a picture on her phone and double checked it. It was a perfect photo of Dean and Allie staring at each other in blissful silence.

"Okay, thanks," Buffy said.

Dean got to his feet and handed Allie back.

After reaching the door, he swung around for his final goodbye, drinking in the faces of the two one last time. Buffy smiled as she turned Allie toward Dean and gently waved her small hand.

"Say goodbye Allie," she said.

Dean forced out a breath as he felt his composure crumbling from the weight of sharing a night with two beautiful girls, both who had profoundly affected him and who he would remember as the last few hours of his life ticked away. He steadied himself in the doorway before he rained a smile at Buffy and walked out of her life.

_May 2, 2008_

Sometime before midnight

Buffy flew into the nursery, clutching a baby monitor in each hand as she checked on crying Allie. She picked her up and gently rocked her in her arms.

"It's okay Allie, mommy's here," she soothed.

Buffy strolled around the nursery, cradling Allie. After trying to feed her without success, Buffy checked her diaper. Buffy frowned with puzzlement.

"You're not hungry or wet, what's wrong sweetie?"

Buffy anxiously paced the room, turning on the star light fixtures adorned along the chair rail.

"Look at the pretty stars," she cooed.

Allie whined softly until Buffy strolled by an altar of photographs and her mews ceased.

"Oh, you want to look at pictures?"

Buffy edged up to the dresser littered with picture frames of various designs and pointed to one.

"That's your Uncle Giles Allie," Buffy imparted. "He's coming out to see you next week."

Buffy pointed to another pink and white picture frame.

"That's your Auntie Willow...and that's Auntie Dawn who you spit up on – twice this morning."

Buffy tickled Allie's cheek and grinned before pointing to another picture frame.

"And Andrew and Auntie Faith...oh and Uncle Xander who you screamed at..."

Allie looked away and cried.

"Oh!" Buffy gasped as she anxiously comforted Allie. "Oh Allie, Uncle Xander is very kind – he just looks scary with the um, eye patch...oh, maybe when you get older you won't be afraid of him..."

As Allie continued to sob, Buffy rocked her gently.

"Oh, let's never tell Uncle Xander he made you cry again," she moaned.

Buffy moved down the row of picture frames until Allie immediately ceased in her crying. Buffy blinked when she noticed Allie staring intently at the last picture frame on the end. Allie broke into a smile and a giggle. Buffy widened her eyes.

"That's your Uncle Dean!" she gasped. "Aw sweetie, you recognize him. You're barely a day old but you already know faces! You are SO smart. You know you get that from me, right?"

Buffy snuggled Allie against her cheek as she folded into a rocking chair. Allie continued staring up at the photograph with a bright smile.

"Wow, Uncle Dean made quite an impression on you huh?"

Buffy rolled her eyes in jest.

"Figures."

She kissed Allie on the cheek.

"Well, he made an impression on me too," she admitted. "I hope you get to see him again because he really cares about you. He saved you, you know that? When you're older I tell you a story about him, not the um scary parts or...well, the whole thing is scary but...oh, all that matters is that you know he watched over you, and mommy will always be grateful to him."

Buffy cradled Allie tightly in her arms.

"I love you so much Allie," she cried. "So, so much."

Meanwhile:

Sam crumbled to his knees as they buckled from the horrid sight of his brother torn apart by Hellhounds. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he cradled his brother in his arms. Sam stared down at Dean, eyes wide open, his shirt torn to shreds, blood pooling from his stomach.

Sam clutched Dean as his grief overwhelmed him. He sobbed hysterically into his brother's shoulder.

His big brother was dead and gone and suffering in Hell.


	6. Chapter 6

**Ch 6. Hello, Again**

A/N: episodes mentioned Lazarus Rising, Are You there God, In the Beginning, After School Special

_June 1, 2008_

"Oh, she smells so good!" Willow cooed.

Rona and Vi smiled at Allie as Willow propped the infant against her cheek.

"Oh, and she's so soft!"

"Awww," Rona and Vi said together.

Buffy giggled as Willow clutched Allie in her pink onesie with dark pink butterflies adorned on it. Her tawny blonde hair had grown thicker and curlier and hung over her bright hazel eyes. Her pink lips were fuller and echoed her mother's.

"Look at her widdle hands," Willow chimed, gently taking Allie's little hand in hers. "And her widdle feet! Oh! I could eat them!""

Buffy giggled at Willow as Allie seemed receptive to her adorations, grinning and cycling her feet playfully.

Xander lingered in a corner of the living, watching Allie with admiring eyes. As the girls doted on Allie for another minute, Xander slipped off his eye patch and stamped his bad eye shut. He sucked in a breath as he approached the infant. Allie caught sight of him and scowled, breaking into a high pitched whine.

Buffy drew an apologetic look at Xander as he backed away.

"She still remembers faces," she said.

Buffy took Allie from Willow and comforted her. Willow shook a stuffed pink bear at Allie and made a silly face.

"Maybe when she's a bit older she won't be so intimidated by you Xander," she insisted.

Faith strolled in from the kitchen and waved her cell phone.

"Duty just called," she announced. "We gotta get back to saving the world."

Willow, Vi and Rona sighed as they finished fawning over Allie.

"Okay, thanks for dropping in everyone," Buffy said. "And thanks for all the gifts."

Buffy raised Allie in the air and grinned up at her.

"You are so spoiled already aren't you?"

Buffy brought Allie down into her arms and kissed her cheek as she walked everyone to the door.

"We'll see ya B," Faith said.

The girls and Xander gathered at the front door and said their goodbyes. When the house was quiet, Buffy beamed an adoring smile down at Allie. Allie let out a big yawn as her eyelids began to flutter in and out.

"It's time for your nap huh?"

Buffy cradled Allie and drifted upstairs. As she gently rocked Allie within her arms, Buffy fed her a little and then strolled around the room. Buffy pointed up to the ceiling where Xander had painted a cloud scheme and soft blue skylines. As her eyes fluttered open and shut, Buffy strolled passed the altar of photos and noticed Allie glancing at certain ones. Allie grabbed Buffy's thumb, curling all of her little fingers around it.

Buffy squealed in intense delight as Allie snatched her thumb and stared up at her before looking back at the photos on the dresser again.

Buffy took pause when she stopped at the last photo and noticed Allie drawing a deep mope, her eyes flaring with sadness.

"That's weird, you usually look happy whenever you see your Uncle Dean," she remarked.

Allie stared up at the photo for a long minute, the sad flicker in her eyes deepening. When she began whining softly, Buffy gasped with wonder and cradled her over her shoulder.

"Oh Allie, why are you so sad?"

Buffy shifted her eyes to the photo of Allie and Dean at the hospital and drew a fond smile. She stroked Allie's back in comfort and kissed the top of her head. She looked down at Allie's precious face and smiled.

"You miss your Uncle Dean? He REALLY won you over huh?"

Buffy snickered and shook her head until Allie went quiet as she kept staring at the photo of Dean. Buffy kissed her wet cheek and hugged her tightly.

"I don't know when he'll be back sweetie, he's busy with work but, I hope he'll have a chance to see you in the future," she soothed.

Buffy swayed Allie slowly in her arms, beaming a loving smile down at her.

"You are so loved by just about everyone, you know that kiddo?"

Buffy giggled as Allie stared up at her. After a minute of swaying, Allie drifted off to sleep.

Meanwhile, Sam peeled the Impala onto a dirt road leading to an abandoned warehouse. When he walked in, Andrew and Giles were waiting with anxious looks.

"Hello again," Andrew said with a friendly smile. "We were very glad to hear from you Sam. We've been so worried. How've you been holding up? Do you need a shoulder to cry on?"

Andrew moped sympathetically as Sam let out a deep breath. His eyes were sunken with fatigue as he addressed Andrew and Giles with urgency.

"You said you knew a witch, a powerful witch," Sam said quickly.

"Yes, Willow is a very skilled mistress of magic," Andrew confirmed with a proud smile.

"Could she...raise someone from...the grave?"

Giles gaped with immense shock and horror as Andrew remained composed.

"Yes, Willow has performed resurrection spells before," Andrew said.

"But she will not do it again," Giles stressed sternly. "It is very dangerous to use that type of magic not to mention the psychological ramifications imposed upon the person brought back."

"Willow has come a long way," Andrew said confidently.

"Yes but I cannot stress to you the immense risks involved," Giles stated.

"My brother is in Hell," Sam said flatly. "He's suffering. I couldn't stop it, but if I can get him out I have to try...anything."

Giles beamed a compassionate expression at Sam's clearly distraught look.

"I am very sorry for your loss and that we were unable to help you. But this really is not the answer Sam," Giles said. "I cannot condone a plan to raise your brother from the dead."

"I'll find another way," Sam said sharply. "Without you."

"Sam...if you need someone to talk to..." Giles started.

Sam pivoted toward the door and charged out of the bar.

_July 4, 2008_

Buffy pushed Allie along in her stroller and pointed out various decorated booths at the Cohasset Independence Day faire. Janie and her two year old daughter Carly, regrouped with Buffy, carrying lunch and the four strolled around until they found a spare table to eat. Carly waved a red balloon tied to her wrist as she pointed at Allie.

"Mommy, I wanna feed the baby!" Carly squealed.

Carly held up a piece of apple toward Allie. Janie gently clutched her arm.

"Oh no sweetie, babies can't have that, not yet," she said.

Buffy plucked the lid off a jar of baby food and fished up a small spoon. She drew a fond smile at Carly when the little girl moped with disappointment.

"Well Carly, you can help me feed Allie her lunch," she replied.

Carly looked up at her with wide brown eyes, her dark brown hair softly whipping her face as a breeze blew through the air. She shined a toothy grin and ran over to Buffy.

"Okay! I feed the baby!"

As Buffy supervised Carly in feeding Allie, she glanced at Janie every so often.

"She's such a big girl," Buffy noted with an adoring smile.

Janie drew a proud smile as Carly held up the spoon to Allie's mouth.

"Yeah, they grow up so fast," Janie complied. "Before you know it, Allie will be driving and sneaking off to see her bad news boyfriend!"

Buffy widened her eyes in awe as she gazed at Allie in her little pink sundress. Buffy folded the shade lower over her stroller to block out the bright beams of the sun.

"Oh goodness, can you imagine? I can barely handle her now, but the teen years?"

Janie shaded with sympathy as Carly ran back to her.

"Well, let's hope they have better taste in men than we did," she joked.

Buffy wiped Allie's mouth and gulped when Janie chuckled at her humorous remark. Janie stopped short in her amusement when Buffy wasn't laughing.

"Oh, um, sorry Buffy, I didn't mean to assume..."

Buffy shook her head and threw a forgiving smile.

"It's okay, I know I um, I never talk about...him," she said. "It's just..."

"Painful?"

Buffy checked on Allie and nodded.

"I hear ya girl," Janie said as she raised her glass in toast.

Buffy glanced at Allie and then Carly who was enjoying a peanut butter sandwich.

"What about new prospects?"

Buffy shifted her eyes to Janie.

"Gee, you sound like my friend Faith," Buffy cracked. "That's the second question she always asks me after, 'how's it going'?"

Buffy chuckled for a minute as Allie watched a runaway balloon floating in the sky.

"You haven't sworn off men entirely have you?" Janie asked. "I mean, other than my ex and a couple ones before him, not ALL guys in the world are complete dicks. There's got to be a good one out there."

Buffy heaved a sigh and brushed a lock of her hair from her face.

"I'm not as jaded as I used to be. I wouldn't mind finding a guy who encompasses everything I want, you know? The number one being that they like kids, which, unfortunately for Kevin, he's too career oriented to settle down, so, I'm not seeing him anymore," Janie lamented.

Buffy munched on a sandwich half before she scooped Allie into her arms, drawing her little bucket hat over her eyes.

"Oh, sorry."

Janie shrugged as Carly sat in her lap.

"I'm over it," she said. "If I was fifteen, I'd be crying up a storm and diving into my fifth gallon of ice cream."

Buffy chuckled and grinned.

"Yeah, I hear ya on that."

"But now, I've got this little piece of perfection."

Janie hugged Carly and kissed her cheek.

"So any guy who's interested in me, HAS to be interested in Carly. But if he never comes along, I'm okay with it."

Buffy snuggled Allie against her shoulder. Janie caught a few young guys eyeing Buffy as she doted on Allie. Janie drew a goofy grin.

"Can I just say, that I'm jealous as heck that you snapped back into pre-baby form after only a couple of weeks? I mean all the young men here are checking you out."

Buffy widened her eyes and looked around. She noticed a guy in khakis and a white dress shirt observing her from a food stand. She averted her eyes away, not wanting to unintentionally draw his interest.

"Oh um, I haven't really noticed the um...guys," she said.

"Mommy, I want juice!" Carly requested.

Janie fished out a juice bottle as Buffy noticed more young men throwing smiles at her as they passed by.

"They don't bite Buffy," Janie teased.

Buffy gulped and flushed red as she set Allie down.

"No, no it's not that, it's just..."

Buffy heaved a sigh when she drew a mind blank.

"It's like you said, I'm not actively looking for a guy," she finally said.

"Not even that one...oh gosh, I'm blanking...the one who took you out when you went into labor."

Buffy released a long breath as Janie smiled.

"Oh um, Dean..."

"Yeah, he must be into you to take a pregnant girl on a date," Janie deduced. "So, what's going on with him? Has he dropped in since that night?"

When Allie cooed, Buffy gazed at her and gently cupped her hand.

"Uh, no, I um, I haven't seen him since Allie was born. But, he's a busy guy, he does important work that keeps him on the road a lot..."

"Oh, still, hasn't he heard of a phone?"

"Well, I didn't really give him a number and I didn't get his and..."

Buffy heaved another sigh.

"It's...kind of complicated," she said. "He's just not around."

"Ah, you need Mr. Present and Accounted For, but then, wouldn't we all," Janie said.

Janie and Carly went off to a play area roped off with red, white and blue streamers as Buffy checked on Allie.

"All I need is you sweetie pie," Buffy said softly.

When Allie kicked her feet out playfully, Buffy nuzzled her nose across her face.

"Yeah, it's you and me always," she said.

_August 2, 2008_

"Ugh! I just bought this shirt!" Dawn moaned as she handed Allie back to Buffy.

Dawn tore over to the sink and began dabbing at her shirt, sodden with baby spit up.

"Hasn't she learned not to do that yet?" Dawn asked in annoyance.

Buffy scoffed as she cradled Allie against her shoulder.

"She's a baby Dawn, they eat, they sleep, they spit up," she pointed.

Dawn huffed as she worked on rubbing out the stain on her shirt.

"Well, she's your daughter - she should be...more advanced than other babies!"

Buffy rolled her eyes as she gently patted Allie on the back.

"It's just one top Dawnie," she said. "I've got about thirty or forty she's spit up on since she was born. It's no big deal. And according to Janie, in another week or so she won't be doing it anymore. I guess you came to visit at the right time."

Buffy drew a sardonic smile as Dawn groaned at the stubborn stain.

"Oh fine, I'll buy you a new top if you want," Buffy moaned.

Faith and Xander shuffled in carrying pizzas which they set on the kitchen table. Xander glanced at Dawn grumbling under her breath as she charged out of the kitchen.

"What's with her?"

"Apparently fashion is more important than her niece," Buffy replied.

Buffy settled Allie in her pink butterfly bouncer as Faith and Xander tore pieces of pizza off and put them on plates. Xander waved at Allie when she looked at him. She crinkled her nose and whined, closing her eyes. Xander sighed as Buffy shaded with guilt.

"Sorry," she said.

Xander waved it off as he wandered out to the backyard. After fussing for a minute, Buffy settled Allie down with a bottle. Faith shined a grin as she popped the tab of a Coke.

"Looks like you're an expert mom B," Faith remarked.

Buffy sat down and felt a wave of exhaustion slamming through her. She used her free hand to tear a piece of pizza off, taking a few bites.

"Well, I have a lot of help between my aunt and Janie, otherwise I'd be a frantic, pathetic mess," she confessed.

"Still, you figured out what Al needed on your own that's gotta count for something."

"It gets a little easier as the days go on," Buffy replied.

Faith watched Allie happily sucking at her bottle and kicking her feet out as she bounced in her seat.

"She's a happy kid B," Faith said with a wave of a hand.

"Yeah she is for the most part," Buffy acceded.

Faith put down her slice, seeing worry lines grow around Buffy's eyes.

"Lately though I've noticed...well, a little change when I put her down for her nap. Usually, I rock her and read to her, and then she wants to look at all the pictures of the people who love her...except um, not Xander..."

Buffy glanced though the patio doors and drew another remorseful look at Xander.

"Anyway, it's been the same reaction to the pictures, happy, happy, happy and then over the past few weeks, Allie sees a particular one and it makes her..."

"Scream in fright?"

"No, more like sad, so sad that it breaks my heart," Buffy answered softly.

"Whose picture makes her sad?"

Buffy cleared her throat as she felt a tinge of awkwardness painting the air.

"Um, the one on the um...end."

Faith shined her recognition and grinned.

"Ah, Allie's just sad cuz she misses a certain hottie uncle," she cracked. "And mom's probably missing him bad too. She's like feeding off your own feelings huh?"

Buffy widened her eyes.

"Uh, what? No, no. There are no feelings," Buffy uttered.

Faith snickered as Buffy's cheeks flushed red.

"Aw come on B, you said you had a nice time out with him and he brought Allie into the world, and you seem to get along AND, you're passed due your Fourth of July post baby 'date'. So what are you waiting for huh?"

Faith elbowed Buffy jokingly as she chuckled. Buffy heaved a breath as her cheeks flushed red.

"I don't know, I mean, don't you think if I saw him in that capacity it'd be a little um...awkward?"

Faith stopped her amusement and studied Buffy.

"Why? Cuz he got to peek behind the curtain before you got the show?"

Faith chortled at her remark as Buffy gulped and deepened with color.

"Hey, look at it this way B, if he comes around again, you'll know he liked what he saw and maybe you know, he wants to see more."

Faith winked and chuckled as Xander and Dawn strolled in from the patio. Buffy checked on Allie's bottle before plucking her out of her bouncer and burping her.

An hour later, Faith, Dawn and Xander headed for the door.

"Okay, we'll try and pop back in when we can," Faith said. "But it's been crazy out there so we'll let ya know."

Buffy nodded as Allie drifted off to sleep on her shoulder.

"Okay, stay safe guys," she said.

_September 18, 2008_

Buffy yawned as she padded out of her bedroom and headed toward Allie's. Her eyes widened and her ears perked with the soft sounds of cooing. She swung into Allie's room and found her clutching one side of the crib, standing up as if to look out the window. Buffy gasped in awe as Allie bounced up and down repeatedly.

"Oh Allie! You pulled yourself up!" she cried as she applauded in support.

Buffy moved to the crib and felt tears of pride and joy welling in her eyes. Allie bounced up and down and looked off at the dresser. Buffy curiously shifted her eyes to the dresser as Allie continued to bounce. Allie lit up with a bright smile and began to babble.

"Ah ah ah ah ah!" she sang.

Allie widened her smile when Buffy gasped with awe.

"Ah ah ah ah!" Allie repeated.

Buffy sighed with glee at Allie's cheerful mood.

"Look at you, you're really happy today!"

"Ah ah ah ah!"

Buffy swept Allie up in her arms and gave her a loving smile and a kiss on the cheek. She edged over to the dresser with displayed photos and watched Allie's reactions to the faces in each. Buffy followed Allie's sights and blinked in surprise. She picked up the photo on the end and held it up to Allie who burst with a giggle.

"Uncle Dean makes you happy now? No more sad eyes?"

"Ah ah ah ah!" Allie chirped again.

Allie widened her smile and giggled incessantly as she stared at the photo. Buffy drew a curious frown as Allie giggled some more.

"Huh. One day he's breaking your heart, the next, he's making you smile..."

Buffy snorted with amusement and flashed a silly grin at Allie.

"That's pretty much your Uncle Dean," she cracked.

Buffy glanced at the pink flower clock above Allie's clock.

"Time for breakfast."

Buffy pivoted toward the door when Allie squealed and scrunched her face in protest.

"What baby? What's wrong?"

Buffy opened her mouth in awe when Allie kept starting at the photo of Dean.

"Uh, you want to keep looking at it?"

Allie bounced within Buffy's hold.

"Ahhhhh ahhhh ahhh!" she cooed.

"Oh, wow," Buffy gasped. "Uh, okay."

Buffy picked up the photo off the dresser and took it with her as she carried Allie down to the kitchen.

Elsewhere:

Dean let out several ragged breaths as he waited apprehensively on Bobby's front porch. As the door swung open, Dean sucked in a breath and drew a cautious smile. Bobby glared at him with heavy suspicion.

"Uh hey Bobby..."

Bobby stared back at Dean in complete bewilderment.

"How the hell..."

"I have no idea," Dean started. "But, it's me."

Dean slowly walked through the door as Bobby studied him intently. As Dean walked inside, Bobby suddenly lunged at him with a knife. Dean impulsively blocked his attack, grabbing his arm and swiftly twisting it around. Bobby growled, yanking out of Dean's grip and backhanding him in the face.

Dean backed away and threw his arms up.

"I'm not lying Bobby! I'm me!"

"Like hell you are!" Bobby snarled.

Dean wedged a chair between himself and Bobby, moving slow and cautiously.

"Wait, wait, wait, I'll prove it to you, okay? You're Robert Steven Singer. When your wife got possessed you took on a life of hunting. And, you're as close to a father as I've got. Come on Bobby, I swear this is me."

Dean let out a sigh of relief when Bobby lowered his knife and took a step forward. Bobby reached out and clapped a hand on his shoulder. With his free hand, he raised his knife and attacked Dean. Dean flashed a disgruntled frown and quickly disarmed Bobby.

"Dammit Bobby! I told you it's me! Not shape shifter me!" he groaned.

"Whatever you are, you're an abomination!" Bobby barked.

Dean shoved Bobby away and held out the knife.

"Still not convinced? Fine," he grunted. "This is a silver knife, so this should kill shape shifter me."

Dean rolled up his sleeve and clenched his jaw as he cut into his arm. Dark blood emerged from the puncture and rolled down his arm.

Bobby blinked with mass disbelief and shock.

"You...it's really you?"

Dean heaved a sigh as he set the knife aside.

"Yeah Bobby, it's really ME."

Bobby cracked with emotion and pulled Dean into a tight hug. Dean returned the hug with gratitude and enthusiasm as he let out a breath of relief.

"You don't know how good it is to see you boy," Bobby cried.

"It's damn good to see you Bobby," Dean replied.

"So...how the hell did you break out of..."

"I've got no friggin' idea," Dean said. "I woke up in a dark, dank box."

Dean took a step passed Bobby and blinked when he felt a burst of water hitting his face. Dean shook his head as he sputtered some of the water from his mouth.

"Not possessed either Bobby," he groaned.

Bobby flashed a sheepish look.

"Just coverin' all of my bases boy," he said.

Dean sighed as he picked up a towel and dried his face off.

"How can this be? This don't make one butt load of sense! You should be looking ripe and crusty! But yer lookin' like...YOU."

"I know, I'm in the same boat of 'what the hell' you are Bobby," Dean replied.

"Well, do you remember anything?"

"Just that one minute, hellhounds were playing 'fetch' and the next I'm down for the count. And then a short while ago, I was scraping my way out of a pine box."

Bobby sucked in a breath of awe as he sat down.

"I uh...I tried Sam first but...his number is out of service or something. Does that mean..."

Dean let the rest of his question taper off when dread flooded through him.

"No, Sam's alive and well...the first part at least I know...I think."

"What? What do you mean? Why don't you know?"

Bobby drew out a reluctant sigh.

"You better sit yer ass down," he warned.

Buffy bounced excitedly in her seat as she held Allie on her lap. She waved Allie's hand into the web cam of her laptop where Willow and Giles were on the screen.

"Say hi Allie, 'huh-I"," Buffy coaxed.

When Allie remained silent, Buffy gave a forgiving smile.

"Well, I swear she was talking earlier! Okay, so it was more of a babbling 'ah ah' but...it was a very clear 'ah ah'," she boasted.

Giles leaned closer to the screen and smiled.

"She is lovely Buffy, just lovely!"

Buffy flashed a proud smile at Allie as Willow looked over her shoulder. When she looked back at the screen, Buffy threw a forgiving smile at her.

"Lemme guess, something just came up?"

"Yeah, sorry," Willow sighed.

"No problem," Buffy said. "Allie and I are going to commence with playtime anyway."

After a round of waves from the two, Buffy clicked off the laptop and set Allie stomach first on a blanket surrounded by toys. Buffy picked up a few toys and played with them, trying to draw out interest and reactions from Allie. Allie started leaning her body to the right, eventually rolling onto her back. Buffy gasped with glee.

"Oh my! You rolled over!" she cheered. "Oh! You're learning so fast sweetie! I should be recording this! Oh!"

Buffy ran around the living room searching for the video camera Xander had bought her, keeping an eye on Allie. Buffy powered the camera on Allie.

"Okay, roll over again Allie, just a little roll for mommy!"

Allie remained on her back, looking up at her mom and then the camera and then the ceiling. Buffy sighed with disappointment but kept her hopes up, recording Allie's subtle movements. Buffy leaned forward and tickled Allie on her tummy until she burst into giggles.

"Oh, you are precious!" Buffy roared.

Buffy glanced up at the ceiling in alarm when she heard an eerie humming. When she saw a stream of blue light rippling from the floor to the ceiling, she heaved a sigh of apprehension.

"Uh, Will, I hope that's your doing."

Buffy blinked when static on her laptop appeared. She picked Allie up and clutched her protectively as Giles emerged on screen. Buffy let out a breath of relief.

"Hello Buffy, one second..."

Buffy caught Willow running into the room and slipping next to Giles.

"Hey Buffy, sorry I didn't give you much of a heads up but I juiced up the ward on your house," she explained.

Buffy nodded in acknowledgement.

"Ah, so it was you, yeah I noticed," she said. "Is there a reason for the extra dose of magical vitamins?"

Willow and Giles exchanged looks.

"No, no, of course not," Giles stated with a forced smile.

Buffy sighed as she rocked Allie.

"You are so bad at lying Giles," she moaned.

Giles broke from his casual look and sighed. Willow drew a sheepish look as she stared into the screen.

"It's just precautionary Buffy," she said.

"Yes, we're taking extra measures to keep you and your little one safe," Giles said.

"You KNOW I'm going to ask you now, safe from what? Big stuff going down in a town near me?"

Willow bit her lip but reluctantly imparted some details.

"Andrew was tracking some D-E-M-O-N-S..."

Giles shot her an odd look as Willow pointed into the screen.

"Hey, Allie's a really smart baby, I'm trying to keep the scoop kid friendly," she reasoned. "Anyway, apparently the 'things' made a quick leap from Tennessee to Pontiac, about three hundreds miles from you."

Buffy widened her eyes in awe. "That's still quite a distance from me."

"I don't want to take any chances of those 'things' getting near you and our precious Allie," Willow said emphatically. "And we're not talking three or four 'things' Buffy, more like...an airplane manifest of 'things'."

"I will dispatch Faith to look into it as soon as she gets back from her patrol," Giles said. "Something very strange has happened there."

Willow shot Giles a stern look.

"But that is not something you need to know," Giles added.

"Yeah Buffy, we're on it, so no snooping or tracking anything," Willow admonished lightly. "You're a mommy now."

Buffy rolled her eyes in jest. "I know, I know, my snooping days are officially over. I trust that you all have a handle on what's going down. And thanks Will for topping up the ward."

Buffy waved Allie's little hand and smiled.

"Say thank you Auntie Willow for keeping me safe."

Willow shined a silly grin and waved fervently back.

"Oh! Look at that little boo! You are so cute aren't you widdle one?"

Giles found himself beaming a goofy grin as Allie stared at the screen in fascination. After another round of doting on Allie, Willow and Giles signed off.

"Okay Allie, it's back to you and me again, watcha wanna do now?"

Allie crinkled her nose and whined as Buffy raised her in the air. Buffy winced when she picked up on a very familiar scent.

"Ohhhhhh, yeah, how 'bout I change you huh? That might be good."

Meanwhile in Pontiac,

Bobby jumped in when Sam attacked Dean. Bobby pushed Sam off and away from Dean.

"It's Dean I tell ya! I already done the drills!" Bobby barked. "It's really him!"

Sam heaved breaths in exertion and stared at Dean in shock.

"But..." he uttered.

Dean smoothed out his shirt and cracked an amused smile.

"Yeah, I'm looking awesome, right?"

Sam blinked rapidly, still reeling with shock. After a long moment, his eyes welled with tears as he stepped toward Dean and pulled him into a bear hug. The two reunited brothers hugged in silence for several seconds, both heavy with emotion. Bobby looked on, his own eyes wet with tears as Sam pulled away from Dean.

The young brunette haired girl flashed Sam a strange look.

"Uh, is this like...your guy?" she asked.

Sam blinked as he shifted his eyes to the girl.

"Huh, my...oh, no, it's not like that, this is my brother," he explained.

The young girl deepened her odd look, not completely convinced.

"Oh uh, okay," she said.

Sam walked her toward the door as Bobby and Dean looked on. When the girl left, Sam turned around to see Bobby and Dean weighing him with heavy looks of suspicion.

"Just spit out Sammy and tell me what you did," Dean replied roughly.

Sam smirked as he sat down on his bed.

"Gee Dean, that's a little personal," he cracked. "I mean, I know you like to brag but that's not really my style."

Dean scoffed and shook his head.

"You know what I meant," he insisted. "What'd you sacrifice to get me back huh? Did you throw down your soul or did it cost more than that? Tell me what the hell you did!"

Sam shifted his eyes from Dean, to Bobby and back to Dean.

"I didn't swap my life for yours Dean," he remarked firmly.

Bobby glared at Sam with a dubious frown.

"Don't lie to us boy, I wouldn't put it passed you," he grunted.

Sam heaved a sigh.

"I didn't swap my life," he reiterated.

Dean edged toward Sam with an intense glare.

"You swear?"

"Yeah Dean, I swear," Sam stated.

"Then what price did you pay? I get a pass out of jail and you're what...a demon's bitch, is that it? I never wanted you to pull something like this just to save me Sammy."

Sam shot to his feet and flashed a resentful frown at Dean.

"How many times do I have to say this Dean, I didn't bring you back," he barked. "I didn't make a deal."

Dean grabbed Sam by the arm and glared back with equal resentment.

"Well, there ain't no way I was just miraculously pulled out of the pit. So it HAD to be you. So stop lying to me and tell me what you did!" he demanded.

Sam ripped his arm away and paced away.

"I did...everything Dean!" he roared. "Whatever I thought I could do, I did it to try and save you. I went to demons to try to negotiate but none of 'em wanted to help, they all wanted you to rot in Hell. No one could help me, no one. I wish to god it had been me who saved you, but it wasn't."

Dean heaved a sigh as he soaked in the sincerity in Sam's expression.

"Okay, okay, so you're not lying."

Bobby flashed a derisive frown.

"I don't want to sound unglad that you're back and that Sam didn't piss his soul away for you, but we're still left with a big fat elephant in the damn room."

Dean nodded in acknowledgment.

"Yeah, if it wasn't you, then who or what was it that got me out?"

Later that evening, Dean dozed off to sleep in the motel room. He drifted deeper and deeper into his subconscious until he vividly felt the sting of the hook in his gut, the blazing heat on his skin, the stench of rotting flesh and boiling blood below, the excruciating pain of being ripped to shreds over and over, the eerie howls echoing from the depths of the pit...

Dean jerked in his sleep as his mind was completely gripped by the horrors of his sojourn in Hell. In torturous repetition the images and sounds flashed through his mind, the howls sent shivers along his spine as he spun further into his nightmare. His heartbeat thundered behind his ribcage as beads of cold sweat sprung over his face. Tension and anxiety wrung through his muscles as the horrific images played through his mind. The blood, the slicing of his flesh, the severing of tissue and muscle, the swipe of his guts, the smell, the awful stench of death everywhere, the anguished shrieks wafting deep below...the flashes cycled in his head continuously.

Dean shifted onto his side when through the pit of Hell, through the darkness and horrors, over the eerie howls that rang incessantly; he heard the soft peals of laughter, not sadistic laughter but enchanting laughter, followed by a pair of sparkling green eyes looking up at him, then he saw a tuft of dark blonde hair and then cherub cheeks...a baby in a blanket...a smiling baby in his arms, a symbol of pure innocence...

As the laughter continued and the pair of green eyes sparkled under the moonlight, Dean felt serenity blasting away the nightmares haunting his mind. His thundering heartbeat began to settle into a normal, even pace as his ears flooded with the joyful coos of innocence.

When he rolled onto his opposite side, the television suddenly flicked on, emitting static, followed by the whine of the radio.

Dean stirred out of his sleep and took notice of the sudden noise in the room. He grabbed his shotgun and swept his weary sights around the room when a piercing sound cut through the air. Dean grimaced and grabbed his right ear as he swung the shotgun around with his left hand. All the glass in the room from the windows to the mirrors abruptly shattered and rained down on Dean. He crumbled to the floor, debilitated by the sound as he clapped his hands over his ears.

Buffy finished changing Allie's diaper and studied her curiously for a minute as she started shrieking.

"Oh, are you hungry?"

Buffy tried feeding Allie but she refused and kept sobbing. She gently rocked Allie in her arms and drew her closer to the toy radio that was playing a nursery rhyme.

"...twinkle, twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are..." Buffy sang along.

Allie opened her mouth and wailed with disapproval.

"Oh! Mommy sings really bad huh? Okay, I'll stop," Buffy moaned.

Buffy pressed the button on the toy radio to start the nursery rhyme over again. Allie opened her mouth and wailed. Buffy instinctually turned the radio off, prompting Allie to calm down.

"Oh, you want it quiet," Buffy deduced softly. "Sorry sweetie. I don't know how to read all of your expressions yet. But, I promise I'll figure it out eventually."

Buffy folded herself into the rocking chair as Allie's eyelids fluttered open and shut. Buffy gently pushed the pacifier back in Allie's mouth. In the rolling silence, Buffy gently caressed Allie's cheeks as she drifted off to sleep. She gingerly set Allie back in her crib, tucking a blanket over her and shining a loving smile.

When an owl's cry echoed outside, Buffy looked around in the faintly lit room before moving to the window. She peeked through the blinds and scoped the view of the street below. She tugged on the latch of the window before strolling back to the rocking chair and sitting down.

Buffy stared through the bars of the crib as Allie pursued her lips in her sleep. Buffy drew an enchanted smile and reached through the bars to gently stroke her tummy.

"I love you baby girl," she whispered.

Dean blinked with mass disbelief at the trench coated man claiming to be an Angel named Castiel.

"You expect me to believe that a celestial being snatched me out Hell?"

"Yes, I have already told you," Castiel stated.

"Okay, sure, but, why? Why me?"

"You do not believe you should have been saved Dean?"

"I just want to know why," Dean stressed as he paced around.

Castiel held his head high in confidence.

"It was God's will and he commanded me to raise you. Because you have a destiny and we brought you back to fulfill it."

Buffy kept her ears perked on the baby monitor as she dialed into the webcam on her laptop. After a minute, Willow popped onto the screen as Buffy set her mug of tea aside.

"Hey Buffy, what's going on? Is my little boo there?"

Willow bobbed her head to the left and right.

"Hey Will, no, Allie's back asleep, I just wanted to check and see if everything okay in my neck of the woods?"

"Yeah Buffy, we've got it all under control, please tell me you weren't doing any research."

Buffy bit her lip as she glanced at the baby monitor.

"No, but, I have been wondering what's going on," she confessed. "I can't help it, a seed got planted in my mind."

"Buffy..." Willow started.

Buffy heaved a sigh as she snatched up her cup of tea.

"I'm not going to snoop around Will, but if demons are in neighborhood, I don't care how far, I want to be prepared. I don't want any surprise visitors."

Willow shook her head.

"I amped up the ward on your house, widening the perimeter, no demons or any kind of supernatural being can get within a hundred feet of you or they'll be flayed to bits," she imparted. "Besides, I think you're out of the clear. It looks like whatever they were gathering for, something got to them."

Buffy raised an eyebrow in wonder.

"Really?"

Willow shifted her eyes from the screen, as if looking at another laptop before regarding Buffy.

"Faith went to check out the place that was demon central, some mom and pop diner but when she got there she only found a bunch of dead demons with their eyes burned out."

Buffy burrowed in her chair and absorbed Willow's report.

"Their eyes were burned out? Wow, I don't think I've heard of that happening before. I mean, you kill a demon, you usually go for the jugular or the gut or the head but...the eyes?"

"Yeah, it's pretty strange but Giles and Andrew and I are looking into it so no need for you to get nosy," Willow said with a mock glare.

"I know, I know," Buffy acknowledged. "I'm not going to do anything, I just like to be aware."

"I know, but really Buffy, we got you covered, you take care of our little boo, that's your number one job now. You be a mommy, we'll handle the evil."

Buffy drew a mock pout at Willow.

"Oh, you guys don't need me anymore," she moaned.

"No, but we miss you lots," Willow said sincerely.

"I miss you guys too, without Allie, I'd be really lonely out here," Buffy admitted.

Willow hitched her eyes behind her. Buffy heard muffled chatter through the speakers as Willow turned back to the screen.

"I have to go," Willow sighed.

"Okay, I understand," Buffy said.

"Give my little boo a big hug and kiss, oh and a sniff, she smells so good!"

"Well, you smelled her after she had just been bathed and changed, she's not always a good smelling baby," Buffy said before chuckling.

Buffy signed off her web cam session and picked up her mug. She tuned into the baby monitor as she got up from her desk. She picked up a few things from the living room before heading upstairs to Allie's room. She dropped a pink blanket over the side of Allie's crib and then set down a framed picture back on the dresser.

Three nights later:

Dean flew down the road in a panic as he examined a bloodied Sam while clutching his cell phone to his ear.

"Come on, come on Bobby, answer the damn phone!" he groaned.

Dean hung up the phone and drew out an exasperated breath. He glanced over Sam with a heavy look of concern.

"You doin' okay Sammy?"

"Yeah Dean, I'm fine."

"And you're sure it was Henricksen?"

"Yeah, it was him," Sam confirmed as he shifted in his seat.

Dean absorbed the information as his muscles tightened with dread.

"Well Jesus, did he tell you why he showed up or what he was after?"

"It was pretty obvious he wanted revenge," Sam said flatly. "Cause we didn't save him."

As Dean opened his mouth to protest, Sam heaved a sigh of admission.

"It's true," he added.

Dean shook his head and gripped the steering wheel tightly.

"We're not talking like this," he spat. "We got to figure out what the hell is happening fast cuz it's hittin' us now. Bobby's not picking up his phone so you and me got to work out answers, nothing else."

Dean clamped down on the gas pedal, soaring toward Bobby's house.

Buffy heaved a contented sigh as she pushed Allie's stroller down the sidewalk. She was beginning to love the charm of the changing seasons as a cool breeze swept over her. She threw friendly smiles to the neighbors out for their evening runs or walking the dog. As her instincts remained calm, Buffy heaved another contented sigh, drawing a blanket over Allie.

"It's a nice night out huh sweetie?"

After trekking up a steep hill that weaved through the outskirts of her neighborhood, Buffy perched at the top when a strong gust of wind blew through the air. She instinctively turned her sights behind her and cautiously eyed the street.

Buffy pivoted the stroller and headed back toward her block as the gusts of wind continued to rake over her. She picked up her pace as she darted her sights around the street before checking on Allie. When she reached the foot of her block, the gusts of wind whipped her back like a demon's eerie snarl.

"Buffy!"

Buffy shifted her sights forward and blinked in surprise as Xander charged down the sidewalk.

"We've been trying to call you!"

Buffy absorbed Xander's heavy look of dread as he protectively hovered around her.

"Oh, my cell phone died earlier and I didn't have a chance to charge it. What's going on?"

Xander gently ushered her toward the front door.

"I'll explain once you're inside," he urged.

Xander frantically looked around the exterior of the house and the dark pockets of the streets as Buffy maneuvered the stroller through the front door.

Xander raced inside and shut the door, locking it securely as Buffy peeled out of her light athletic jacket. She gently plucked Allie up into her arms.

"Okay, Xan, I'm commencing with the mild wiggins now," Buffy said.

Xander let out a deep breath as Buffy clutched Allie against her shoulder.

"We had an incident and I was sent here to check on you," he explained.

Buffy furrowed her brows in concern as she folded into the armchair.

"What incident?"

"Faith was out on a patrol when she was attacked," Xander stated. "Only it wasn't a demon, it was...a ghost of someone um..."

Xander eyed Allie before continuing.

"You know," he finished, flashing Buffy a look. "And after that attack, Will got some visitors too."

"Are they okay?"

"Yeah, Willow bound the 'visitors' and they wanted me to make sure you haven't seen anyone from um, your past."

"No, is there anyone in particular you're referring to?"

Xander stared at Allie and gulped with awkwardness.

"Uh, you weren't visited by...Allie's...dad, were you?"

Buffy blinked with disbelief at the question.

"No," she said firmly. "You think..."

"Faith didn't get just ONE drop in, she got several, and one was wearing the face of Father Mason..."

Buffy widened her eyes in recognition as she stroked Allie's back.

"Father Mason," she repeated softly. "From...the church where Yoseth..."

Xander nodded with a sheepish expression.

"Sorry to drudge this up again Buff, but..."

"No, it's, it's okay, do you know why Father Mason came after Faith?"

"Well according to Faith he said he was angry that she failed to fulfill her calling in saving him and the others in that church and then he went ballistic, same deal with Will, a girl she couldn't save, anyway, I got dispatched to check in on you once we figured out the pattern."

Buffy let out a breath as her mind reeled with the revelation. Xander slid onto the couch and got comfortable.

"So I'm gonna stay with you until Will gives the all clear," he said.

Buffy drew an appreciative smile at Xander.

"That's nice of you Xan but Will put a lot of juice into her ward and nothing has set it off since she did. Except for the little stroll around the block tonight, it's been quiet."

Xander crossed his arms and remained determined.

"I'm not taking any chances, I'm going to camp out til I get the word. Go ahead and do what you normally would. You won't even notice me."

Xander shifted out of his determined glare when he felt his stomach grumbling. He glanced at Buffy with a sheepish look.

"Do you...have anything to eat?"

Buffy snickered softly as she got to her feet.

"Yeah, help yourself to whatever is in the fridge, I'm gonna put Allie to bed," she said.

Early the next morning, Buffy tore into Allie's room as she shrieked like a banshee. Xander stumbled up the stairs as Buffy plucked Allie out of her crib and gauged her needs. After a diaper check and an attempt to feed her, Allie continued wailing.

Dean flew across the room after Meg kicked him. She glared furiously as she stood over him.

"You didn't just hurt me you know? I had a little sister who idolized me, did whatever I said, would have died for me, you understand how it is right? When I disappeared, it crushed her and then when I wound up dead and THAT pushed her over the edge. It killed her! It LITERALLY killed her!" Meg snarled.

Meg slammed her foot into Dean's stomach.

"She's dead Dean and YOU killed her!"

Allie sniffled and sobbed incessantly as Buffy fervently rocked her in her arms, trying to calm her down. Xander shifted nervously under the doorway as he observed a distressed Buffy.

"Is there anything I can do?" Xander asked.

Buffy caressed Allie's soft curls and soothed her for several minutes until her agitated cries finally dissipated. When she was calm, Buffy sighed in deep relief and shifted her eyes to a concerned Xander.

"Every once in awhile she has these...mad fits I guess, I don't know what it is that stirs them so I just sit with her until she has it out...I'm DREADING those terrible twos...anyway it looks like it's over now."

As Buffy descended the stairs with Xander, a chime rang out in the silence. Buffy eyed her laptop and then Xander.

"Could you get that?"

Buffy consolingly patted Allie on the back as Xander darted down the stairs and unfolded the laptop. Xander tapped on a key and brought up a webcam window screen.

"Hey Will," he said.

Willow looked into the screen as Buffy huddled over Xander, clutching Allie.

"Hey, Buffy, are you and boo okay? I saw that the ward went off a few times during the night."

"Yeah, but nothing got in," Buffy assured.

"I went outside and smelled smoke," Xander said. "So something was near."

"How are things on your end?" Buffy asked.

"Crazy, all the angry spirits of people pissed off at us have been running rampant, even Giles had a visitor, I've had my hands full keeping them bound until we get through research."

"Did you find anything?"

"Nothing we can't handle," Willow said.

Buffy heaved a sigh. "I didn't say you couldn't but, you send Xander here in a panic and I'm bound to get curious."

Willow chewed on her bottom lip.

"Uh, all I'm willing to say is, these aren't just random hauntings," she stated. "But I'm not going to get into more. Xander, please stay with Buffy for a little while longer. There are a few more scenarios we're still looking into."

Xander saluted Willow.

"You got it," he said. "Anything I can do from my end research wise?"

Willow shook her head.

"No, we've got all our avenues covered for the moment, just help Buffy keep our little boo safe...and..."

Willow turned her sights sharply behind her. She began bouncing anxiously in her seat.

"I got to go!" she said.

Willow blipped off the screen in a flash.

"I'm guessing things got hot over there," Xander said.

Xander moved to the window as Allie burst out into a loud shriek again. Buffy furrowed her brows with worry as she brushed her hand in a circular motion over Allie's back. She fervently kissed her cheek and the top of her head in comfort as Allie's cries echoed throughout the house.

Dean gasped for breath as the ghost of Henriksen strangled the life out of him. A shot blast rang through the air and then Henriksen dissipated into the air. Dean choked for air as Sam rushed over to check on him.

"Dean! You okay?"

Dean glared at Sam as he rubbed his neck.

"Do I look okay?"

Sam helped Dean rise to his feet and then the two scrambled to get to Bobby waiting in the library.

Xander brought over a bunch of toys for Allie, trying to cheer her up. Allie scowled deeper and continued to sob. Buffy paced the length of the living room, gently patting Allie as Xander looked on. For nearly five minutes, Allie shrieked and shrieked until finally ceasing. Buffy let out a huge breath as Allie stared off in silence.

"Wow, that was some mad fit," Xander gasped.

Buffy studied Allie as she took back her pacifier and remained quiet.

"She seems better now."

A little while later, Xander took out his cell phone when it buzzed. Buffy was playing with Allie in the living room. Allie rocked on her stomach before she pushed herself up. Buffy opened her mouth and gasped with glee as Xander whipped his eyes over.

"What? What's going on?"

"She lifted herself up!" Buffy roared.

Xander darted over as Allie dropped her arms, then pushed herself up again.

"Yay Allie!" Buffy cheered.

Xander grinned and applauded fervently.

"Go Allie!" Xander praised.

Xander crouched down to watch as Allie dropped down. She looked at Xander and burst into tears. Buffy inadvertently giggled as Xander moped from scaring Allie.

"Aw, Xander, I'm sorry...maybe..."

"When she's older, yeah, I know," he sighed.

After Xander was whisked away by Willow's transport, Buffy checked on Allie. Allie rolled over several times and smiled up at Buffy.

"Oh my goodness!" Buffy gasped.

Allie rolled over to her right several times and smiled. Buffy danced up and down in delight.

As the evening matured, Buffy removed Allie from her bath and tickled her tummy. After a few minutes of playtime, Allie grabbed Buffy's thumb with her little hand.

"No more mad fits huh? That's good, mommy hates when you're not happy," Buffy moaned.

Allie crinkled her nose as Buffy set her in her swing and cranked the dial.

"You look happy now," Buffy noted as she tickled Allie's feet. "My little Allie Cat, you shall shriek no more."

As Allie swung forward, she cooed and giggled. Buffy snatched up the video camera and recorded Allie as she displayed immense enjoyment in her swing.

"Oh, there's my happy, beautiful girl!"

A few weeks later:

Dean shifted restlessly in bed as his mind wrestled with the same nightmare visions of Hell. He saw himself dangling from the hook, being torn apart, screaming in agony and then, he was restored only to be ripped to shreds, every day, over and over it was the same. His head jerked as the images flashed through his head in repetition. Then, he drifted out of the abyss and pain when he heard that same cry of innocence, saw the sparkle of green eyes beaming up at him, the cherub cheeks of a baby...then a flash of blonde hair, followed by the same set of green eyes, soft pink painted lips turned up into a smile, the echo of infectious laughter and everything in his mind went calm, the tension wringing tight in his body bled away as two pairs of green eyes struck away the horrific images haunting his mind.

Dean heaved a deep sigh of tranquility as a picture clarified in his mind, of two hazel eyed girls. As his dream lingered for a bit, he turned on his side and felt his eyes opening. He blinked rapidly in disbelief when he saw Cass perched on the edge of his bed.

Dean rubbed his face with his hands and shot an irked look at Cass.

"Dean," Cass said. "Pleasant dream?"

Dean deepened his annoyed look as he sat up in bed.

"What the hell, do you get your kicks staking out on people's beds and staring at them while they sleep? Or is there something you need?"

"Yes, there is something you need to do."

"Okay, what?"

Cass raised two fingers and propped them on Dean's forehead, sending him away.

Buffy sighed in delight as she played with Allie. She picked Allie up and swung her high in the air, prompting the five month old to giggle incessantly. Buffy gently rubbed her nose across Allie's.

"Who's my pretty girl? Who's my pretty girl? You are!"

Allie crinkled her little nose and shook her short dark blonde pigtails. She leaned forward and planted a wet, open mouthed kiss on Buffy's forehead.

Buffy widened her eyes in joy and surprise after Allie gave her a kiss.

"Awwwww Allie, you gave mommy a kiss!" she cheered.

Buffy kissed Allie back on the cheek.

"Boop!"

Allie crinkled her nose, smiled and kissed Buffy on the forehead again.

"Awwwww," Buffy sighed. "I LOVE this game!"

Buffy kissed Allie on the forehead.

"Boop!" she chimed.

Allie crinkled her nose and smiled, kissing Buffy back.

"Oh gosh, I could do this all day! Sadly, we have to go to your check up," Buffy moaned.

October 31, 2008

"Okay, better make sure you record this from your end, I don't think she's gonna tolerate this costume much longer. I was barely able to get her to keep it on."

Buffy reached down and picked up Allie, sitting her on her lap. Xander, Willow, Giles and some other Potentials crowded the screen of her laptop.

"Awwwwww!" Willow sighed. "She's so CUTE!"

Buffy shined a goofy grin as she picked up Allie's hand and mocked a swipe of her paw.

"What a perfect widdle kitty!" Willow added.

"I thought she would be a fairy," Xander said. "Or a fairy princess."

"Yeah, I looked at every costume but then I saw the cat and then Allie and well, Allie Cat is kind of her nickname so, I went with it."

Buffy eyed Allie in her white velvet kitten costume complete with tail and ears as the others shined their adoration.

"She's adorable Buffy, simply adorable!" Giles cheered.

Willow leaned into the screen, trying to attract Allie's attention.

"Allie you are so perfect!" she roared.

Allie scowled and fidgeted on Buffy's lap.

"Oh, Allie's saying she's had enough," Buffy replied. "Well, that's all folks. I think I have about five minutes to get my own photos and then she's done."

After a round of goodbyes, Buffy set Allie down on her blanket. Allie whined and fidgeted in her costume as Buffy hurriedly fished up her camera.

January 2009

Sam frowned with suspicion when Dean pulled into the motel they were staying at in Sioux City, Indiana but let the car run idle.

"Let me guess, you're going out for a beer?" he posed.

Dean rapped his hands on the steering wheel and cranked the volume of the radio up.

"Yeah, don't wait up," he said.

Sam heaved a sigh but cracked the passenger side door open and climbed out. Within a blink of shutting the door, Dean sped out of the parking lot and disappeared down the street. Sam let out a sigh of disappointment. He was still hoping Dean would have turned to him to help work through his enormous torment about the things he did when he was in Hell, but his brother had remained tight lipped after making that shocking confession. Dean had refused to bring it up or discuss it anymore but Sam hoped one day he would find a way to work through his pain.

After losing himself in the Bachman-Turner rock block for a time, Dean glanced at the boulevard lined with a handful of dive bars. Not letting off the brake, Dean passed by several more watering holes without much interest. The last case they had wrapped up, dealt with a vengeful spirit haunting teenagers at Truman High. His own brief stint at Truman High had reluctantly drummed up thoughts of the past.

His mind was cluttered enough with all the recent revelations about Angels, Lucifer, the threat of an Apocalypse, about his never ending nightmares about Hell, the last thing he wanted was to dwell on more memories of his past. But as a cold front blew through his heart, he felt an agonizing ache in his bones, an immense emptiness in what was left of his soul. He didn't feel human despite being alive again and nothing he did seemed to quell the incessant numbness that gripped his system. When he passed by the last of the dive bars, Dean rounded the corner and veered toward the highway.

After driving aimlessly for almost a half hour, Dean blinked out of his daze and glanced at the highway signs as he neared an interchange. He tapped on the steering wheel apprehensively as he followed the route toward South Bend which would lead him out of the state. As he crossed over the Great Lakes of Michigan, he scoped the skyline view.

It was an ungodly hour but by the time he hit the Chicago city limits, the early morning sun would be creeping into the horizon, if he even made it that far. With Alistair and who knows many damn demons hot for his ass, not to mention Castiel's surprise pop-ins, he was probably better off turning around and heading back to the motel. But as the holidays had come and gone and thoughts had drifted to all the innocent people in the world being with their families, he was finding less and less reasons of just why the hell he was brought back after everything he did. He couldn't escape the reality of whatever God and the Angels had tapped for him as much as he really wanted to. And he definitely didn't deserve to feel anything other than the blaring emptiness and pain that swarmed him every damn day. No, he should just turn around and never look back.

As his contemplation lingered, he was amazed to see Wrigley Field in the distance. He had hit Chicago as the sun painted red and orange carpets along the horizon. In four hours, he would hit the outskirts of Cohasset. That was four hours to knock some sense into himself.

A few hours later:

Dean eased up to the curb along Serenity Road and heaved a sigh when he saw the familiar two level house. After a few more minutes of debating, he climbed out of the car and slowly ambled up to the door. He perched on the walkway for a long minute, still contemplating whether to knock or get back in the car. After another minute, Dean blew out a breath, raking a hand through his hair as he pivoted toward the car. As he drifted down the walkway, he heard the creak of the front door swinging open behind him.

"It's okay sweetie, mommy's gonna get you some help!"

Dean whipped around at the familiar voice that was like cool rain on a hot, arid day. He sucked in a long breath when he saw Buffy dashing out of the house, her golden locks flowing in the wind. He blinked in awe when his eyes impulsively marveled over her post baby physique. As her lithe little body twisted to close the door, Dean found himself staring too long at the firm ass behind a pair of black yoga pants. Feeling his mouth water instinctively, Dean shook himself out of his primal sensations when he heard another familiar sound, the cries of a baby.

Buffy adjusted the strap of her bag on her shoulder as she cradled Allie. Her eyes blinked rapidly in surprise when she saw the guy perched on her walkway.

"Dean? When...when did you get into town?"

Allie whined softly into Buffy's shoulder, drawing back her attention. Buffy flashed Dean a remorseful look as she grasped her car keys.

"I'm sorry to rush out on you but I've got to get Allie to the hospital."

Dean beamed with heavy concern as he studied Allie, wrapped in a pink blanket.

"What's wrong?"

Buffy let out a breath to calm her nerves as she kissed Allie's cheek in comfort.

"Her ears are bleeding," she cried shakily. "They won't stop...I...I can't get the bleeding to stop!"

Buffy bit down on her quivering lips and sucked in a breath, trying to hold herself together. Dean shined his dread as he gently tucked a hand over Allie's earlobe. He saw a small blood clot on the inside of her right ear. When he examined the left one, he found the same as Allie sobbed softly. Dean gingerly stroked Allie's cheek before seeing the intense panic on Buffy's face.

"You're not in the best condition to drive," he said. "So, why don't I take you?"

Buffy shined her gratitude, handing the keys of her used SUV to Dean.

"Thank you," she stammered.

After getting Allie in her car seat, Dean raced through the neighborhood toward Cohasset County General.

"I'm probably wasting a trip," Buffy moaned. "But my aunt is out of town and Janie is at her parents' this weekend so I didn't know what else to do. I just can't stand to see my baby so miserable."

Dean glanced in the rear view mirror and checked on Allie, sobbing in her car seat as Buffy twisted around and placed a stuffed animal with her.

"Yeah, I don't blame you, I couldn't stand to see that face so sad either," he reasoned.

Buffy remained turned in her seat, keeping watchful eyes on Allie as she mewed softly. Dean let out his own anxiety as he pried an encouraging expression over his face.

"She's going to be okay," he soothed. "She's a fighter, like her mom, so whatever it is, she'll beat it."

Buffy sniffled as she wiped a few tears from her eyes and turned front ways in her seat. She shined a deeply appreciative smile at Dean.

"Your timing is...impeccable," she remarked.

Buffy managed a short laugh.

"Yeah, uh...I guess it is."

Buffy glanced back at Allie before heaving a deep breath.

"You're not working a case in my neighborhood are you?" she asked with eyes of dread.

Dean regarded the road briefly before shifting his sights back to Buffy.

"No, I was a few hours away, thought I'd drop in and...see what's new."

Dean swung into the parking lot of the hospital and quickly unstrapped Allie from the car seat. Buffy scooped her up and frantically ran into the triage. As a nurse interviewed her to gauge the severity of Allie's illness, Buffy drew a frown in disapproval.

"Look, I just need to see Dr. Glover, my baby's ears are bleeding!"

"She's with another patient. We'll have to page her," the nurse said flatly.

Buffy deepened her annoyance at the nurse.

"Then PAGE her," she barked.

After fifteen minutes of pacing through the lobby, Allie stopped crying and hitched her little hand up. With her small finger, she pointed to Dean and smiled. Buffy gasped in awe as she walked over to Dean who was sitting in the lobby area, tapping his right foot anxiously.

Dean blinked rapidly in surprise when Allie kept pointing to him. She smiled, and then giggled despite the blood dripping from her right ear.

"Uh, wow, she remembers me," Dean replied.

Buffy felt her nerves dissipating when Allie seemed to forget the pain from her ears as she stared at Dean.

"Yeah, she does, she recognizes your face from your picture."

After a moment, Allie held her arms out to Dean.

"Uh uh uh," Allie babbled.

Dean absorbed Allie's sparkling hazel eyes, wet from tears and her rosy cheeks as she reached for him, bouncing in Buffy's arms.

"Wow, she really wants to say hello to you," Buffy said with a smile.

Dean bit back his reluctance, knowing if he let himself get too close to Allie, and Buffy for that matter, he would have lost his grip on the reality of his life. He vowed to keep them safe by staying away and yet here he was again, dropping back into their lives.

As Allie fidgeted within Buffy's hold, eager to be handed over to Dean, Dr. Glover shuffled over. Buffy drew a grateful sigh when she saw Allie's pediatrician. As she carried Allie toward a hallway, Dean noticed the tyke pointing at him. Buffy noticed as well and shined a smile at Allie.

"Uncle Dean will be here when you're all better," she said.

Allie drew a bright smile as she stared at Dean, pointing her little finger at him.

Almost an hour later, Buffy emerged from an exam room with Allie as Dean paced around the waiting area. He heaved a deep sigh of relief as Buffy walked over, cradling Allie on her hip.

"So, what'd the doctor say?"

Buffy cautiously glanced around the waiting area before answering.

"She had to call in a specialist, an ear nose and throat guy, he ran some tests, it turns out that Allie is very sensitive to sounds. When he was asking me what prompted the ear bleeds, it dawned on me that right before - she saw an airplane in the sky. I think she might have heard the reverb or something."

Dean widened his eyes in awe.

"Woah, well, I guess it's not too surprising, I mean, she's got her mom's freaky DNA, right?"

"Yeah, I should have anticipated something but...I just saw her bloody ears and I...I panicked."

"It's a natural instinct."

Buffy glanced at Allie as she burst with a long coo.

"Well, she's happy now, so, whew."

Buffy kissed Allie's cheek before drawing a grin at Dean.

"This must be some visit for you huh? You're not here five minutes before you get roped into rushing me to the hospital – AGAIN. Gee, I'm really setting a record."

Buffy snickered softly as she drifted to the elevators. She noticed Dean clutching a blue bag with the hospital logo emblazoned on it.

"You were so bored waiting for me, you went shopping?"

Buffy drew a teasing smile as Dean shined a sheepish look.

"Uh, I wasn't bored I was just...antsy...anyway, it's actually for Allie, cuz I realize that it's January..."

Buffy eyed the sliding doors of the elevator before beaming a strange look at Dean.

"And?"

"And well, I missed her Christmas so..."

Dean was about to hand her the bag when she indicated for him to open it, since her hands were full.

"Look Allie, Uncle Dean got you a present."

Allie stared at Dean as he reached into the bag and pulled out a fluffy pink kitten.

Buffy widened her eyes and gasped.

"Aw, look at that, a cat for Allie Cat!"

Dean sunk with a mope as he put the stuffed animal in the bag.

"It's cheesy, forget it," he said. "I'll take it back."

Buffy shook her head.

"No, no, it's perfect, give it to her!"

Dean gauged Buffy's sincere expression as he slowly retrieved the kitten from the bag. Allie smiled and giggled as Dean drew the kitten to her face, and made the stuffed animal kiss her nose. Allie roared with glee as Dean clutched the kitten's fluffy paws and swiped them through the air several times.

Buffy giggled when a thought crossed her mind.

"I can only imagine how embarrassing it was for you buying that," she said.

Dean paused in his silly actions and cleared his throat.

"Yeah uh, I'd really prefer not to get into it," he muttered.

Buffy snickered again as Dean hid the animal behind him when two doctors joined them in the elevator.

On the ride home, Buffy looked significantly less stressed as she checked on Allie. Allie stared out the window, her pink kitty cat wedged under her arm.

"Thanks for bringing me to the hospital," Buffy said with an appreciative smile.

"No problem, I'm glad she's going to be okay."

As she wandered up to the house with Allie in her arms, Buffy noticed Dean lingering on the curb.

"Are you taking off now?"

"You're busy. I should go."

"Well, I'm always busy with this little one," Buffy stated. "BUT, you're always welcome. And Allie is just dying to get some time with her uncle so, why don't you come in and stay for a bit?"

Allie smiled and pointed at Dean and started babbling. Buffy hitched her head up and drew a playful smile.

"See? She's putting you on the spot. She's saying she wants you to come inside and play with her before you go. In fact, she DEMANDS it," she said.

Dean absorbed the sight of Buffy and, the two girls whose memories had staved off his fervent nightmares over the past months. All the crap that swam through his mind, all the blistering emptiness that soared through his heart, all of it went away when he laid eyes on those precious girls.

"Uh, yeah, okay, but I can't stay too long."

Dean ambled back into the house and watched Buffy get settled. As she crouched down to set Allie on the floor, Dean tore his roaming eyes away from her body, specifically that tight little ass that was taunting his restraint. He repeated the mantra of not staring at her ass, but, after a minute, he failed miserably as his male senses honed in on it.

Dean whipped his eyes away and cleared his throat as Buffy straightened. As she kicked her shoes off and peeled away her jacket to reveal a fitted black tank top, Dean felt his eyes roaming again.

"You look fantastic by the way," he blurted. "You snapped right back into shape."

Buffy did a double take when she caught the playful smirk drawing over his mouth. She shook her head and giggled with amusement.

"Well I plan on staying this shape so...don't get any ideas," she said with a teasing smile.

"I wouldn't dream of it," Dean replied. "Besides you already named a kid after me so...my plan worked all along..."

Buffy shot him an odd look until he cracked a smirk and chuckled. She relaxed as Allie burst into babbles. Buffy checked the time and eyed Dean anxiously.

"It's almost time for her to eat, so, would you mind keeping watch while I get her..."

Buffy suddenly snapped her eyes wide causing Dean to take alarm.

"What?"

Dean swung around when Buffy stared passed him.

"Oh my god, she's crawling right toward you! Where's my camera!"

Buffy dashed for the video camera set by her desk and snatched it up. She quickly leveled it on Allie, as she crawled happily toward Dean, eventually perching by his feet.

"Yay Allie!" Buffy cheered. "Crawl over to mommy now!"

Buffy waited patiently for a second but Allie was content sitting by Dean's feet. Buffy heaved a sigh of disappointment as she set the camera aside.

"Well, I guess one look at you and she forgets about me," Buffy moaned with a smile.

Allie stared up at Dean with her big hazel eyes and smiled. She clutched his pant legs and pulled herself onto her feet. Allie shined a bright smile and giggled. Dean soaked in her endearing smile and mocked a suspicious glare.

"Hey, are you flirting with me kid? Cuz I think your mom would kick my butt if I gave you so much of a wink," he cracked.

Buffy roared with amusement as Allie shook her pigtails and smiled wider. When she opened her little mouth, Buffy snickered and plucked Allie up.

"Oh, Allie wants to give you a kiss," she said.

Dean blinked in awe before shading with a mock frown of offense.

"Woah, woah, I'm not that kind of guy, you're cute and all but..."

Buffy drew Allie closer to Dean. Allie smiled and leaned forward, planting a slobbery kiss on his cheek. Dean shifted out of his mock frown and gushed as he wiped his wet cheek.

"Thanks cutie pie," he cheered.

"Aw, you're the first boy she's ever kissed," Buffy teased. "You are such a flirt Allie!"

Buffy shook her head as Allie crinkled her nose and smiled. Buffy set her down on the floor as Dean settled onto the couch.

"Can I get you something to eat while I'm up? I usually try to eat with her if she gets fussy."

"Don't go to any trouble."

Buffy watched Allie as she crawled around the living room, smiling and giggling.

"She's REALLY happy you're here," she remarked. "It's going to be difficult when you leave...I might have to distract her while you sneak away."

As Buffy wandered to the kitchen, Allie plucked down to her bottom and pointed at Dean. Over the noise of the microwave and cabinets opening, Dean heard very distinct sounds from Allie.

"Unnghhhhhha," she cooed.

Allie giggled as she leaned forward and crawled over to the couch. Using Dean's pant legs to pull herself up again, Allie beamed a bright smile. Dean cupped a hand around her, to help her keep balance and shined a proud smile.

"Hey Allie, look at you," Dean exalted softly. "You were a tiny little thing when you came into the world and now you're crawling up a storm and throwing flirty smiles at me..."

Dean found himself laughing at Allie's infectious smile. He tugged on the curl of her pigtail and pinched her cheek.

"You and your mom seem really happy," he uttered.

Dean swallowed a hard lump in his throat as his eyes welled at the sight of Allie. She stared up at him with her bright hazel eyes before drawing two of her fingers to his forehead. She pushed her fingers against his forehead and giggled.

Allie pursed her lips together.

"Usshhhhhhhhhhhhh," she cooed.

Allie repeated the action and the word.

"Ushhhhhhhhhhhh," she babbled.

Dean widened his eyes in recognition as Allie pressed her fingers into his forehead.

"Uh, Allie, you're not trying to send me back in...time are you?"

Buffy strolled into the living room, clutching a small bowl. She furrowed her brows in wonder as Allie tapped her fingers on Dean's forehead. She repeated the action several times, giggling after each time.

"Huh, that's an interesting game you taught her," Buffy remarked.

Dean glanced at Buffy as Allie giggled.

"Uh, I didn't teach her," he said. "She just...did it..."

"Really? Oh, well...it's interesting...anyway, her lunch is ready and I made a sandwich for you."

Buffy nodded toward the kitchen as Allie bounced on her feet. Dean gently rose, clapping his hands over Allie's as she stumbled slightly. Allie bounced on her feet again and raised her arms, beckoning to be picked up.

"Oh, you're going to have to pick her up, she wants star treatment from her Uncle Dean," Buffy cracked.

Dean looked apprehensively down at Allie as Buffy took notice.

"She's not going to bite you Dean," she chortled.

"Oh, no, it's not that I...uh..."

Buffy crossed over to Allie and drew a look of concern.

"I'm just teasing," she said. "Are you okay?"

Buffy plucked Allie up as Dean shifted awkwardly in his stance.

"I haven't had a chance to really have grown up talk so...how've you been?"

Dean slowly followed Buffy into the kitchen and drew out a breath. Buffy settled Allie in a high chair and took a seat next to her. Buffy fed Allie a bite before drawing expectant eyes to Dean.

"It's uh...business as usual."

"Yeah, I figured," Buffy sighed.

Buffy shined a smile as Allie ate a few more bites.

"That's why I'm glad you decided to drop in," she added. "I know you're busy being a hero so it means a lot to me and Allie that you took the time to say hi. This is gonna sound kind of strange but, I think she missed you really bad over the summer."

"The summer?"

"Yeah, um, the whole summer, every time she'd see your picture, she'd get really sad, and then, around the middle of September, she was back to smiling whenever she'd see you."

Dean blinked with immense astonishment.

"Mid September?" he reiterated.

"Yeah, I don't know the exact time, just middle of that month, anyway, you made quite an impression on her," Buffy said with a wide smile. "And now, I've never seen her so animated."

Buffy wiped Allie's mouth and glanced at the sandwich on the table.

"Are you not hungry now? I can wrap it up for later if you want."

Allie bounced in her seat and pointed at Dean. Dean drew a look of awe at Allie, knowing with a fair amount of certainty that she was a very special kid.

"Dean?"

Dean blinked out of his daze to see Buffy watching him curiously.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

Dean slowly pushed toward the empty chair at the table and sat down. He let out a deep breath as his eyes rolled over the sandwich before shifting to Allie, then Buffy. He pried a smile over his face and nodded.

"Yeah, I'm okay," he answered softly.


	7. Chapter 7

**Ch 7. It's All Coming Back to Me **

Allie drew a cheerful smile as she pointed at Dean and then giggled while bouncing in her high chair. Buffy stared at Allie in awe before regarding Dean.

"Gosh, she just adores you," Buffy replied.

She shaded with a mock glare.

"You're not going to charm her away from me, are ya? Cuz I'll fight you for her, I swear," she snorted teasingly.

Buffy chortled briefly until she noticed Dean finishing up a small bite in silence. She fell out of her amusement as she wiped Allie's mouth clean and plucked her out of her high chair. Allie crinkled her nose as she reached her arms out at Dean.

"Oh no sweetie, don't bother your Uncle Dean right now."

Allie scrunched her face even more and wailed loudly with disappointment. Buffy gently rocked her as Allie continued to shriek and cry, tears staining her cheeks.

"Oh my goodness," Buffy moaned softly. "The terrible two tantrums have arrived way too early."

Buffy bounced Allie on her hip but nothing seemed to calm her. Dean brushed the crumbs off his hands and reached over to Buffy, gently taking Allie from her. Allie immediately ceased in her cries as soon as Dean settled her into his arms. Allie dropped her head on his shoulder and remained content as she tugged on her pacifier.

"Uh wow," Buffy gasped.

When the sound of the phone ringing broke the silence, Buffy quickly shuffled over and picked the line up. She glanced apprehensively at Allie but she looked serene as she leaned her head against Dean's shoulder. Buffy let out a sigh of relief as she pulled out her day planner.

"Um tomorrow?"

Buffy drifted into the laundry room as Allie lifted her head up. Dean soaked in the gleam of her mom's eyes.

"Hey kiddo, be good for your mom okay?" he asked very softly.

Dean pushed away a thin tendril of Allie's curly hair that had grown damp from her sobbing. Dean stole a glance toward the laundry room where Buffy was starting a load of washing through her phone conversation.

"I'm sorry I haven't been around," he continued. "But...I can't...it's complicated and you probably don't even understand a word I'm saying..."

Allie curled her little hand around his thumb, quelling the deep seated ache in his heart for a time. He found his emotions rising over his steel reserves as Allie drew her free hand and patted his cheek. Dean sucked in a breath of awe as Allie stared up at him with wide eyes.

"Or do you?"

Dean marveled in this special kid as she kept her hand gently pressed against his cheek. He clenched back his quavering emotions but felt his eyes thick with moisture as Allie's little hand seemed to blast the immense numbness flooding his heart.

"Do me a favor kid. Be happy, with or without me, it doesn't matter, okay? You and your mom, you've got each other and you deserve to be happy and safe...so when I go, if I don't come back for awhile or...ever...you keep bringing that sunshine to your mommy's life...can you do that?"

Allie patted his cheek and smiled as Buffy emerged from the laundry room. Dean sniffed softly and quickly wiped the dampness from his eyes as Buffy set the phone back on the wall unit.

"Everything okay in here? I would think since it's quiet," she said.

Allie patted Dean on the cheek another time, as if she were drawing a consoling gesture toward him. He gazed at her in amazement as Buffy strolled over, regarding the both of them with curious eyes.

"Uh, yeah, yeah, we're good."

Buffy looked over Allie as she tugged on her pacifier and snuggled against Dean. She smiled when Allie patted Dean on the cheek.

"Aww, I've never seen her do that," she cooed. "I am SO jealous."

Buffy gently took Allie back into her arms. Dean glanced at Allie as she drew a pleasant smile being back with her mom.

"Okay, I uh, I've taken up enough of your time so, I'm gonna head out."

Buffy shaded with disappointment as Dean pushed his chair from the table and got up.

"Oh, um, okay, thanks for coming by...it was good to see you again," she said with a sweet smile.

Dean collected his composure, inhaling a long breath as he forced a smile over his face.

"Yeah, it was good to see you too."

Buffy glanced at the clock above the doorway as she rocked Allie in her arms.

"If you give me two secs, I'll walk you out," she stressed. "I usually take Allie over to the park for a half hour or so."

"That's okay, I know my way..."

But before he could finish his sentence, Buffy had swiftly snatched up a juice bottle and a small snack package, throwing them in her bag. She bounded into the living room and rolled the stroller out from the side closet, yanking Allie's pink jacket from a hanger.

"...out," Dean finished as he lingered under the kitchen doorway. "Uh...wow, you really meant two seconds..."

Buffy juggled holding Allie, fishing up her house keys and coat and pivoting the stroller toward the door.

"Yeah, I've sort of excelled in multi-tasking in a moment's notice now," she remarked with a smile.

"No kidding. I guess you have to be."

Buffy hiked her bag on one shoulder while cradling Allie and her coat with her free arm. She shined a deeply affectionate smile at Allie as she cooed excitedly.

"You love the park huh Allie?"

Dean slipped on his jacket and headed for the door, pulling it open. Buffy angled several things on her arms as she gripped the stroller.

"Uh, how far is the park?"

"Just two blocks," Buffy answered as she pitched the stroller forward.

"Oh, well uh, I guess I should walk you considering you've got...a lot of stuff..."

Buffy beamed an appreciative smile as she set Allie in the stroller.

"It's okay, I've got a system of how I get her there with all my stuff," she said. "I know you've got places to be, so don't let me keep you."

Buffy set out a toy in Allie's lap, before she straightened and gripped the stroller handle. As she gently pushed the stroller through the door, Dean grabbed the front wheels and helped Buffy settle it on the walkway.

"Thanks," she said.

"No problem. You're pretty efficient, an expert mom...I knew you would be."

Buffy drew a humbled smile as she steered the stroller down the walkway.

"I don't know, I'm still learning stuff," she admitted. "And I don't always get it right..."

"Still, for someone who moaned to me that they knew nothing about raising a kid...you're doing a bang up job Summers, you really are. I mean, you tamed this little Allie cat."

Buffy rolled her eyes in jest.

"For the time being but she's definitely got her moods."

When they reached the foot of the sidewalk, Buffy pivoted the stroller toward the end of the block while Dean lingered in front of his car.

"Have a safe drive back to...wherever you're headed," Buffy replied with a warm smile. "And um...next time you drop in...bring Sam too, if you want..."

Dean shifted uncomfortably in his stance at the thought of including Sam in his impromptu trips to Cohasset. There was no way he wanted Sam to know just how often the Summers' girls had been on his mind lately. Sam hadn't even been aware that he had delivered little Allie into the world almost nine months ago. Still, Dean drew a polite smile as Buffy bundled Allie up in her jacket and blanket.

"Uh, yeah, Sam..." he managed to say.

Buffy rummaged through her bag and observed Dean curiously as he stared off blankly.

"Are you sure you're okay? You know that you can talk to me about 'bad' stuff if you need to," she said with a knowing look.

Dean nodded in acknowledgment as Allie's gleeful coos rang though the air. He shoved his hands in his pocket as he tried to stamp away the thoughts of his time downstairs and what he had allowed himself to do to get off the rack. He had no business spending any amount of time with one of the greatest heroes in the world and her amazing kid. Not after taking pleasure in inflicting endless amounts of pain on evil souls. He may have been resurrected, but he didn't come back fully human.

He didn't deserve to be here, especially not in Cohasset with Buffy and Allie. He was kidding himself if he could ever have anything close to what Buffy had attained after all her years of sacrifice. Though they fought the same battle against evil, his life had veered in a drastically different direction. He had gone to Hell and stopped his own suffering by dishing out his own and he enjoyed every timeless minute of it. He was worse than any demon he had ever killed.

"Dean?"

Dean blinked out of his heavy daze to see Buffy staring up at him with furrowed brows.

"Sorry I was, just thinking about stuff..."

"Oh, so you do want to talk about...that stuff? I don't have to take Allie to the park now, I can wait until I want to tire her out for her nap..."

Dean shook his head as Allie bounced in her stroller.

"No, I'm okay," he said adamantly. "It's nothing. You take her to the park, have fun. I'll uh...I'll walk you over...I need some air anyway..."

Buffy studied Dean for a long minute, trying to gauge his sincerity but other than a handful of visits, she barely knew that much about him. Before she could casually draw out another inquiry about his state of mind, Dean had plucked the bag hanging off her shoulder as well as the plastic cooler in her hand.

"Um, thanks," she said.

After a short stroll to the park, Dean eyed the kids running around the blacktop playground and grassy areas as Buffy plucked Allie out of the stroller.

"You might need to wait until she's not looking to sneak off because I'm not sure she'll be happy if she sees you walk away."

Dean drifted off into another daze as he watched a young guy among a sea of mothers bonding with his little boy in the sandbox. He should have gotten in the car as soon as he left the house since the paternal display tunneled a deeper ache in his system. It was killing him to look at what he would never have in his damn life; he should just turn on his heels and head out. But as he opened his mouth to respond, it was as if someone else was talking, not the voice of reason, but the voice of a silly dreamer, the voice of denial.

"You know what, if I leave now, I'm probably gonna hit traffic when I get to Chicago so...maybe I'll just wait it out...if that's okay..."

Buffy lit up with a bright smile.

"Yeah, of course it's okay, I know Allie's gonna be thrilled that you can spoil her with some more attention."

Buffy burst with a giggle as she tickled Allie's cheek.

"Did you hear that Allie? Your uncle Dean is going to stay a little longer."

Allie shined a grin at her mom before breaking into a long babble. Buffy widened her eyes in amazement.

"Wow, I have no idea what she's saying but I think it's good," she said.

An hour later, Buffy pushed the stroller up the walkway as the sun bled away into the horizon. Juggling with many items, Dean took her house keys and unlocked the door. Buffy settled the stroller inside and crouched forward to check on Allie. She smiled in delight when Allie was fast asleep.

"She's down for the count," she noted softly. "Never fails. Park time leads to nap time."

Buffy gently scooped Allie into her arms as Dean set the bag and cooler by the door.

"That was a lot of fun," she added. "Especially when Allie got real fussy and you proceeded to cheer her up. I had no idea you could hang from the monkey bars like that."

Buffy chortled very softly at the recent memory.

"The things I do to make a chick smile," Dean groaned. "Let's not mention that again...to anyone..."

Buffy cocked an eyebrow up as she smirked.

"Hey, I really suspect a part of you was enjoying that."

As her look hung over him for a second, he broke with a humbled expression.

"Okay, okay, so, maybe I did a little."

"Well, Allie was thoroughly entertained."

"She's a good kid."

Buffy stroked Allie's soft locks and grew misty eyed with maternal emotion.

"Yeah, she's great, she really is," she cried softly.

Buffy planted a kiss on the top of Allie's head as Dean soaked in the sight of her immense joy. After a moment, his eyes fell to the floor as he stewed with guilt.

"Uh, Buffy, look, there's a...there's something I need to tell you..."

Buffy lifted her eyes from Allie to Dean, feeling slightly unnerved by the gloomy tone in his voice.

"There's a lot going on right now," he started. "And...this is probably the last time I can..."

A loud snap suddenly cracked through the house, causing Dean to pause in startle. He widened his eyes when he noticed a stream of blue light snaking up from the floor, surrounding the walls in rivulets of electricity.

"What the hell is that?"

Buffy clutched Allie tight in her arms as her face knitted with dread.

"It's the ward on the house, it detects and deflects any supernatural beings," she said softly. "My friend Willow, she's um, a witch and she spelled the house when I first moved in."

Dean whipped around as more blue lights fizzled, snapped and enveloped the house before dissipating.

"Well, that's some powerful witch mojo," he said.

When an even louder boom rocked the house, Dean stiffened with panic.

"I take it that's not good," he muttered grimly.

Buffy shook her head as she tried to contain her nerves.

"I need to get Allie downstairs, to the basement, it's the safest place in the whole house, Will put some sort of multi layered force field down there that will keep anything evil away."

Dean ushered her through the kitchen and toward the basement stairs.

"Then you get down there too," he advised. "I'll check it out."

"Not by yourself, just let me put Allie down and then..."

Dean hardened his expression as he threw the door to the basement open.

"Buffy, please do not fight me on this," he pleaded sharply. "Your first priority is to keep Allie safe. Whatever is outside, I'll draw it away. Now go."

Buffy clutched Allie's tightly as she slowly turned toward the stairs. Dean heaved a sigh of relief as Buffy descended a few steps before halting. She looked up at Dean with intense apprehension.

"Dean, this ward is very powerful, whatever is trying to get in, it's pretty big. You might not be able to fight it alone, so don't do anything stupid...please," she stressed shakily.

Buffy twisted around and padded down to the landing as Dean gripped the door and met her eyes before disappearing.

As Dean roamed through the house, he snatched up his pistol and cautiously scoped the dark pockets. After clearing the inside, he commenced a search of the exterior property. When he stepped out onto the front porch, he strained his hearings for any odd sounds. The street was empty and the neighborhood quiet as he ambled down the walkway. He perched on the sidewalk, whipping his eyes thoroughly around the street, examining the space between parked cars when something perked in his instinct. He swung around to see Cass standing on the other side of the street, his brooding glare more intense than usual.

Dean let out a sigh as he quickly walked across the street and met up with Cass.

"What are you doing here Cass?"

Dean pocketed his gun but kept a discreet hold on the handle for any unexpected drop-ins.

"I've been looking for you," Cass answered flatly.

Dean frowned in irritation as his sights took notice of the wisps of smoke billowing from beneath Cass' loafers.

"You fly through an electrical storm or something?"

Cass looked down at his shoes before glancing across the street.

"I sensed you were here and when I tried to see you, I was...deflected by a great mystical force surrounding that house."

Dean frowned deeper with annoyance.

"Yeah, it's a protective ward," he revealed.

Cass narrowed his distant eyes.

"Are you protecting this house from demons?"

"No, it wasn't me that did it...it doesn't matter...why are you standing here?"

"I cannot cross beyond this line."

Cass drew his shoe off the curb and was immediately bombarded with blue lightning bolts. Cass stepped back onto the curb as Dean nodded.

"So it's got a wide radius," he said. "That's a good thing."

Cass stared at the house before glancing at Dean.

"My senses are dampened by this mystical force. Who lives here?"

"No one you need to be concerned about," Dean said evasively. "Now why were you looking for me?"

"There is work to be done," Cass said.

Cass glanced toward the house.

"Lilith is succeeding every day in breaking more seals. So what is more important than doing your job Dean?"

Dean stared at Cass for a very long minute.

"Just go away Cass. I'll be back at the motel later and we can tag the next batch of demons but for the meantime, I've got my reasons for being here."

Cass beamed his cluelessness as Dean flashed an annoyed look.

"Never mind, just don't ever come back here."

Cass deepened his clueless look.

"Why not?"

"Because I'm telling you and now I'm telling you to go."

Cass remained on the sidewalk, exacerbating Dean's aggravation even more.

"Fine, then I'll leave since you can't follow me," he snapped.

Dean stepped off the curb and looked over his shoulder to see Cass had vanished.

Buffy paced furiously around the basement listening intently to any sounds above her. When she heard the echoes of footsteps upstairs, she tensed and rushed to the landing. The basement door clicked and swung open.

"All clear."

Buffy heaved a huge breath of relief when Dean popped his head in. After he quietly trudged down the stairs, he met Buffy's questioning eyes.

"What was it?"

Dean noticed Buffy clutching a long dagger at her side.

"Uh...it was a false alarm."

Buffy stared at Dean in disbelief.

"What? No, that's not possible," she said cynically. "Willow specifically stated that anything supernatural would set it off, so something was out there."

Buffy bore her eyes into Dean until his expression cracked with acknowledgment.

"Okay, so there was, but it's gone and it's not coming back," he replied firmly.

"How do you know?"

"I just do...just trust me," Dean affirmed. "You want to put that away?

Dean dropped his eyes to the dagger.

"Why do you even have that?"

Buffy heaved a breath as she returned the dagger to a cabinet. Dean widened his eyes in surprise when he noticed several racks of weapons hanging on the inside of the cabinet doors.

"Seriously?" he posed sharply.

Buffy shot an annoyed look as she shut and locked the cabinet.

"I may be retired but I'm not going to be defenseless," she stated. "Now what was out there?"

Dean sighed in exasperation as Buffy hooked him with an assessing glare.

"Just let it go," he grunted. "I'll handle the demons, you handle her."

Dean glanced at Allie sleeping undisturbed.

"This isn't your concern anymore Buffy. I'm guessing that's why you've got friends to put wards on your house so you don't have to worry about demons."

After glaring sharply at Dean for a minute, Buffy heaved a sigh of surrender.

"It hasn't gone off in awhile, I guess I was getting used to that," she said.

"So it's gone off before?" Dean asked with grave concern.

Buffy crouched over Allie and caressed her hair, soothing her own nerves.

"Yeah um, last fall, there was some incident, my friend Xander came out to check on me, something about angry spirits coming back to haunt the people that couldn't save them."

Dean froze in complete shock, while his eyes widened with recognition.

"Uh...angry spirits...haunted you?"

Buffy shook her head as she kissed Allie's cheek.

"No, thanks to the ward, nothing got in, but a few of my friends were attacked, no one got really hurt but it was the first time demon stuff hit my town since...well, Cicero."

Dean cursed himself a thousand times in his head. It was just his damn luck that Buffy's magical demon ward had gone off because of him. Even when he wasn't around, she was still getting hit by the fallout of his life. He was a demon magnet and now he had Angels on his back too. He shook his head and muttered inaudibly under his breath as he turned toward the stairs. He should have refrained from ever seeing them, but those hazel eyed girls in his dreams – had drawn him back, kept drawing him back despite all efforts to stay away. But knowing the ward had activated as a result of his role, whatever that was, in being brought back to life, Dean had to stop thinking like a silly dreamer, he had to stop escaping his reality with these visits to Cohasset, he had to nip his curiosity in the bud whenever he wondered about Buffy, he had to with one hundred percent certainty, leave her alone. As long as he kept coming around, Buffy was going to be a target and he would be damned, again, if he would let any demon or Angel for that matter, shatter her happy life because he couldn't let go. If she and Allie got hurt because of him...

Dean stopped himself before the dreaded thought rippled vividly in his mind. He buried it away as he made up his mind.

"I'm going to take Allie up to her bed," Buffy said.

Dean phased out of his thoughts as Buffy drifted up the stairs. He followed behind her, tugging on the locks of the window and doors while she carried Allie to the second floor. A short time later, Buffy shuffled down the stairs as Dean finished up his perimeter check.

"I'm heading out," he said flatly. "Lock the door when I leave."

Buffy glanced up the stairs as silence thickened in the air.

"Okay, um, thanks for everything...I'm sorry for being so curt with you earlier."

"It's okay," he stressed. "I understand."

Dean pulled the door open and looked back at Buffy one last time.

"Take care Summers," he said.

As he stepped out, he gripped the door handle and pulled it along behind him.

"And remember..." 

Buffy nodded with a humorous expression.

"Lock the door, I know," she said.

She quickly snatched the door knob on her side as Dean gave her a nod goodbye.

After he got in the car, Dean let the engine warm up for a second, looking off at Buffy's house. He shut his eyes and hung his head down, feeling the grips of shame overcoming him.

"Dammit," he muttered.

He shook his head repeatedly as he veered away from the curb and tore down the street. No matter what, he had to stay away. As he hit the highway, Dean silently chanted to himself, one blaringly harsh thought to prevent any more impromptu visits:

_Buffy and Allie could die if you ever go back Dean, you have to stay away, you have to. Too much shit happens in your life and the people you care about always end up getting hurt or killed. To keep them safe, you have to stay away and never let anyone know about them. _

Dean rapped fervently on the steering wheel as the statement flooded his mind. He rapped harder on the steering wheel with his fingers, as it was the only thing he could do in his state of mind to keep from falling apart. It always came down to sacrifice in his line of work. This wasn't anything new. This wasn't anything realistic anyway. He was a hunter and Buffy wasn't anymore. She had a different life, a happy life, a life he could only dream about, a life that would never be his...

"It's not fair..." he muttered softly.

After a minute, Dean blew his self-loathing moment away and pulled himself together.

_Stay away Dean, just stay away. _


	8. Chapter 8

**Ch. 8 I Can't Help Myself**

A/N: Just after "On the Head of a Pin

A few months later:

"Alright, enough."

Sam halted the wheelchair as Dean slowly got to his feet. He flashed a petulant frown as he clutched his side.

"Just take it easy Dean."

"No, I want to get out of here," Dean groused.

Dean blew out a long breath as he steered himself out the hospital lobby with Sam following after him. When he located the car, he snapped his eyes to Sam.

"Gimme the keys," he barked.

"Maybe you should let me drive," Sam said. "You JUST got out of the hospital, come on."

"Oh fine," Dean sighed.

Late in the evening, Sam pulled the car into a motel lot after driving to the edge of Nebraska. After bringing takeout to the room and perusing the internet, Sam heard his brother grumbling from the bed. Dean bolted off the bed, picked up his jacket and motel card. Sam glanced up from his laptop, shining his disapproval.

"Dude, quit it, I'm fine and I'm tired of being cooped up. I need a drink or...a thousand."

Sam heaved a sigh as Dean yanked the door open.

"Are you going to tell me what's bothering you?"

"My damn life Sam," Dean grunted. "Don't wait up."

A few hours later, Dean snapped his eyes open, roused by a flash of horrific images haunting his mind ever since he learned about his role in the looming Apocalypse. When he heard a soft moan, his weary eyes drifted to the naked girl lying next to him. After a significant amount of alcohol at the bar, he had gone home with the hot auburn haired waitress that had thrown smiles of interest throughout the night. As she shifted on the bed, Dean glanced at the clock on her bedside table. He quietly slipped off the bed and hastily dressed in the dark. He padded his pockets and took a look around, making sure he had all his belongings before stumbling out of the small apartment.

Despite all efforts to bury his reality in whiskey and a fine woman, he found himself spiraling deeper into the depths of despair. Once he was settled in the car, he glanced out at the dark horizon. As his black mood thickened, Dean found himself driving passed his motel, passed the main boulevard, passed the city limits, trying to leave behind what he didn't want to face.

After driving endlessly without much thought, Dean glanced at a sign reading "Welcome to Cohasset."

"Dammit," he grumbled.

He veered sharply off the main street and waited for traffic to allow for a U-turn. He cursed under his breath as he sat idle in the center lane for quite some time. When traffic finally let up, he swung the car around, intending to get back on the highway. But as his mind cluttered with a million dark thoughts, he eased off the gas and drove around the downtown district. As the sun began to dip into the horizon, Dean impulsively steered the car toward Patriot Park, two blocks from Serenity Road.

After stewing with hesitation for a minute, Dean got out of the car as a group of moms escorted their kids into the park. He glanced at his watch to check the time as more groups of parents and kids skipped over the grass toward the large playground. He walked around the vast play areas, discreetly scoping out the people, not really carrying any expectations. He didn't want to drop in, yet here he was in this little pocket of Illinois. Why did he keep coming back here? He had vowed to stay away, to let go of the memories of two girls that had profoundly affected his life in order to keep them safe. So why the hell was he still here? As he passed by a shorter slide for the younger kids, Dean paused in his roaming when something caught his eyes. He felt the heave of his lungs as he drew a gasp of awe, seeing the perfect picture of innocence walking steadily from the sandbox to her mother. His eyes swelled with emotion as he watched that precious face practically running circles around her mother.

Dean pushed across the grass and perched under a trio of low oak trees as little Allie Summers continued to run around her mom. Allie jumped up and down, giggled and shook her long dark blonde ponytail. Buffy hitched her head back and laughed before glowing with a smile. She reached out and snatched Allie in her arms, tickling her tummy. Allie squealed and wiggled as Buffy continued to tickle her.

Dean heard Allie singing softly as Buffy set out a few toys and a bottle of juice out on the blanket. Buffy beamed as bright as a star with pride as Allie continued to sing. Buffy hugged Allie and kissed her cheeks. Allie crinkled her nose and giggled, kissing her mommy back. The weather was warm, the small lake across the way glistened under the fading sun, the park was filled with families and everywhere he looked, he saw innocent, happy people just living out a typical day.

As Dean heard the mellifluous sounds of Allie's infectious giggles, his heart splintered at the reality of what he had done. He flipped the switch on the end of the world. He couldn't imagine the horror and destruction he had unleashed and what was in store for all the people in this town, in the world.

Dean wiped his damp eyes and then shoved his hands in his pockets as Buffy and Allie sat on the edge of the sandbox. Buffy picked up the pink plastic shovel and dipped it into the sand. Allie picked up the second pink shovel and mimicked the action. As Allie jumped in the sand and giggled, Dean felt his cheeks growing damp and cold with tears. He had wrecked the world, he had screwed it all up and he wished that God had never tapped him back to life.

Dean sniffed the flood of emotion dangling precariously at the back of his throat as guilt stabbed and soaked into every part of his body.

"I'm sorry," he said softly as he stared sorrowfully at Buffy and Allie. "I'm sorry."

Dean sucked in a shaky breath as he slowly pivoted and bounded out of the park.

Buffy frowned curiously when she felt something behind her. She pulled Allie protectively into her lap and swung her sights over her shoulder. She scoped the surroundings, scrutinizing a trio of oak trees before glancing at an empty park bench. Whatever she had felt, was gone.

May 1st

Dean released a sigh of fatigue as he shuffled into the motel room to find Sam hunched over his laptop.

"You find anything?"

"Yeah, turns out these murders happen every thirty years," Sam revealed. "On May first, so the next one goes down tonight. We need a few more supplies."

"You mean tomorrow is the first," Dean rattled off as he fell back onto his bed and shut his eyes.

"No, May first is today," Sam clarified.

Dean snapped his eyes open and folded forward.

"What? Today is May first? Since when?"

Sam shaded with a bewildered frown. "Uh, since...always, and the fact that yesterday was the last day in April."

"Dammit," Dean muttered as he got to his feet.

"What? What's wrong?"

"Uh, nothing, I just...I didn't realize the date with all this crap going on."

Dean picked up his car keys and jacket as Sam looked on in curiosity.

"Where are you going?"

"I've got something to take care of."

"Like what?"

"Just...something."

Sam threw a frown of suspicion at Dean.

"Does this have to do with a girl?"

Dean scoffed as he rummaged through his wallet.

"No, we're working a case," he said. "I just got a quick errand to run while we're out."

Sam shot to his feet and picked up his jacket.

A few minutes later, Dean veered the car into the downtown area, searching the retail shops lining the block. Dean spotted the store he was hoping for as Sam climbed out.

"Uh Dean, the hardware store is that way."

Dean glanced over his shoulder as Sam pointed forward.

"Right, I'll meet you in there, I uh...I've got a hankering for some uh...Little Debbies..."

Sam studied Dean as he stepped off the curb.

"Go on Sam, we got some demons to gank tonight."

Sam shot an odd look at Dean as he trekked down the block.

After bounding into the hardware store, Dean nodded at Sam waiting at the register.

"Hey, you get everything we need?"

"Yeah."

Dean leaned on the register counter as the clerk rang Sam's purchases. Sam narrowed his eyes when he saw something weird on the cuff of Dean's jacket.

"Uh, what's that?"

Sam picked off a silver fleck and rubbed it between his fingers.

"Is this...glitter?"

"What? No."

Sam studied the fleck closely before gawking at Dean.

"Yeah, it is, why do you have glitter on your sleeve Dean?"

Dean masked his knowledge as Sam waited expectantly.

"Uh, well...the...clerk who rang me up, she was HOT, you know and she must have gotten the glitter on me."

Dean flashed a satisfied grin as Sam cocked an eyebrow in doubt.

"The clerk had glitter on her, for some reason?"

"Yep," Dean lied. "You'd never guess WHERE. Anyway, we done here?"

Sam collected his change and bag of items as Dean headed for the door.

The following afternoon:

Allie raced fervently down the halls squealing and giggling as Willow playfully followed her, crooking her fingers and exaggerating a silly face.

"Here come the tickle hands Allie!" Willow taunted. "Here they come! They're going to tickle you!"

Allie squealed and barreled through the crowded living room. She bumped into Giles while he was eating. Giles smiled down at her as she dodged around him.

"Tickle tickle hands!" Willow roared.

Allie shook her head and ran away with Willow taking after her. Buffy drew an adoring smile as she watched Allie scamper out of the living room.

"You need help with anything Buffy?"

Buffy swung around as she collected empty lunch plates to see Janie and Carly behind her.

"No, I've got it, you enjoy the party."

Allie sped through the living room again, darting into the kitchen. Janie widened her eyes in amazement as Allie tore back through the living area.

"Wow, Allie is quite the little speed demon," she said.

Buffy broke into a maternal grin as Willow chased Allie around the living room.

"I can't believe she's a year old already," Buffy gasped in awe. "And walking."

"I know, it seems like only yesterday you were telling me about her memorable birthday," Janie remarked.

"Yeah," Buffy sighed with a wide grin.

"They grow up so fast. Every time you blink they're doing something new."

Allie zipped through a throng of party guests until she bumped into Xander's knee. He looked down at her and sucked in a breath of apprehension.

"Ahhh! Ahh!" Allie said as she gestured at him.

Xander swung his head around before pointing to himself. Allie bounced on her feet and raised her arms at him.

"Ahhh," she cried.

"Me? You want me to pick you up Allie?"

As Willow crept over, Allie bounced more fervently in her stance. Xander crouched down and gently picked Allie up. Allie buried her head in Xander's shoulder as Willow wiggled her tickle hands.

"Don't worry Allie, Uncle Xander will protect you!"

Xander swung his back to Willow, holding Allie securely.

"Go away Tickle Monster!"

Xander exaggerated a glare of fury at Willow. Willow played up a frightened look and dropped her tickle hands.

"Ah, I have been defeated," Willow moaned.

Buffy noticed Allie in Xander's arms and walked over with mild apprehension. All three watched Allie as she leaned her head against Xander's shoulder. Buffy widened her eyes in astonishment and joy.

"Oh! See, I told you Xander! She's older now and totally loves you!"

Buffy kissed Allie on the cheek and grinned.

"Oh my sweet girl, I just knew you'd warm to Xander, I just knew it!"

Allie lifted her head and reached for Buffy.

"Mommy," she said softly. "Mommy."

Willow, Xander and Buffy all sighed with silly grins.

"That is my favorite word in the whole world!" Buffy squealed.

Willow pinched Allie's cheek as Buffy took her from Xander.

"She just gets cuter every day Buffy," Willow cooed.

Buffy beamed a proud smile as she kissed the top of Allie's head.

"I know, I get so many compliments from people whenever we're out," Buffy remarked.

Allie scowled as Buffy began fussing with her back length hair, combing the stray strands into place.

"Her hair is getting really long too," Willow said. "I'm surprised she's not tripping over it."

"Yeah, every time I try to get it cut she throws a fit."

"Have you tried cutting it when she's sleeping?"

"Mmm, yeah actually but she turns too much during the night," Buffy sighed. "Anyway, it's cake and presents time."

Xander whistled sharply, garnering the attention of all the guests in the living room. Everyone filed into the kitchen as Dawn lit a candle on a small smash cake sitting on a princess plate on Allie's high chair. Buffy settled Allie in the high chair as the guests gathered around. Xander picked up the video camera while Willow snapped digital photos as the kitchen flooded with the warbles of the 'Happy Birthday' song.

An hour later, Xander shuffled into the living room as Buffy drifted down the stairs after putting Allie down for her nap.

"Dish washer was loaded and unloaded," he said. "Though, you might find some things...out of place. Took your trash out and got your mail too."

Xander handed Buffy a stack of mail. She shined her appreciation as Willow, Dawn and Giles emerged from the backyard.

"Okay, all the toys have been designated to their appropriate play area," Willow said.

"Thanks everyone," Buffy said as her mouth widened to release a yawn.

"Oh, we'll get out of your hair so you can get some sleep," Willow said. "Great party Buffy."

"Yes, it was very entertaining," Giles said.

"Faith and the rest of the girls said sorry again that they couldn't make it," Willow replied.

Buffy nodded as she walked everyone to the door.

"I understand, someone has to be out there saving the world," she said.

After a round of hugs, she waved goodbye to Giles, Willow and Xander. Dawn retreated back into the house and settled onto the living room couch, flipping on the television. When the volume blared throughout the house, Buffy yelped and snatched the remote.

"Turn that down!" she snapped softly. "I just put Allie down to sleep after she was so wired. Why'd you feed her so much cake?"

Buffy tossed the remote on the couch and scowled at Dawn. Dawn shrugged as she flipped through the channels.

"She kept opening her mouth to be fed and said 'ah'," she reasoned.

"Oh, she is SO spoiled" Buffy cracked as she rolled her eyes in just. "Well, I'm gonna hop in the shower and fold some laundry while Allie's down. Try not to..."

Dawn groaned in her throat. "Make too much noise or touch anything, I know Buffy, I'm not a kid anymore. You know, I'm older than..."

Buffy hitched a palm up and flashed her annoyance.

"Don't bring that up again, mommy card trumps I'm older than thou card," she reasoned.

An hour later, Buffy drifted down the hall after hearing a loud clang downstairs. After investigating the empty living area, she skulked toward the kitchen to find Dawn rummaging through the fridge, setting various jars and plastic containers on the island counter.

"You're eating again?"

"I'm hungry and you didn't plan anything for dinner," Dawn moaned.

"Well, Allie should be up soon and then I'll make you something."

"But I'm hungry now," Dawn lamented.

Buffy heaved a sigh as she rubbed the exhaustion from her eyes.

"Fine, but you're cleaning up this mess you made."

Buffy released a big yawn as she swept up the stack of mail from the counter and sat down at the table. She rifled through the stack, sorting piles of bills, junk ads to toss. She paused curiously on an envelope marked with just a PO Box listing. As Dawn took a seat, Buffy ripped open the envelope and yanked out a card of a pink bear holding up a number one with the words, emblazoned in silver glitter.

Buffy opened the card and noticed a crisp bill attached as well as a note scrawled on the inside.

"Aw, how sweet," she cooed softly.

Dawn sucked down her Coke as she absorbed Buffy's silly expression.

"What's sweet?"

Buffy reread the personal note, feeling a wave of emotion stirring in her heart as memories flashed through her mind. As she thought about the embarrassing moment of purchasing such a cutesy card, Buffy sputtered with a bout of laughter.

"Hell-O?" Dawn said in annoyance.

"What? Oh, um, Dean sent Allie a birthday card and a hundred bucks, with a nice little note too," Buffy answered.

Dawn rolled her eyes as she flipped through a science magazine. "Why does he keep bothering you?"

Buffy shifted into a frown of offense.

"He's my friend Dawnie," she stated. "And he cares about Allie, since before she was even born, he protected her and..."

"Brought her into this world, blah, blah, blah, yeah I know Buffy, you've told the story like a THOUSAND times," Dawn groaned.

"Gee, sorry if I'm appreciative of everything he's done unlike some people I know," Buffy pointed flatly.

Seeing Dawn completely ignore her, Buffy shook her head and sighed.

"I've got some more stuff to do around here. Don't forget to clean all that up please."

Buffy quietly shuffled into Allie's room and hovered over her bed. As Allie flipped onto her tummy, Buffy rained a maternal smile upon her before stepping over to the dresser. She set the sparkly card among the pictures before putting a few stacks of folded clothes away. A short time later, Buffy heard Allie stir from her sleep. She lifted her head and yawned as Buffy snuck over and smiled.

"Hi sweetie, you up or do you want to sleep more?"

Allie climbed out of bed and reached for Buffy. Buffy adorned Allie with some kisses as she walked her to the dresser.

"Look baby, you got a sparkly card from your Uncle Dean, see?"

Buffy picked up the card and noticed Allie staring at it intently. Allie pointed to the bear and smiled.

"Bear," she said.

"That's right sweetie! God you are so smart."

Buffy opened the card and pointed to the note.

"He wrote a note too, it says, "To Allie Cat, on this day, I met you and I am grateful that your mom didn't kill me..."

Buffy rumbled with laughter as Allie let out a yawn.

"Oh sweetie, I'll read the rest of it later. Are you hungry?"

Allie nodded as she stretched out her little arms.

"Okay, it's just you and me for dinner since your aunt Dawn couldn't wait to eat."

Allie rested her head against Buffy's shoulder as she drifted down the hall. Buffy recalled the rest of the humorous message in Allie's card and snickered deeply in her throat. She brushed a finger across Allie's cheek and glowed with a grin.

"Isn't it nice that wherever he is, no matter how busy he is saving the world, he still thinks about you to send a card for your birthday?"

Buffy kissed the side of Allie's head and squeezed her lovingly.

"Your Uncle Dean is the best," she added with a fond smile. "I hope you get to see him again, so you can give him a big hug and say thank you for everything he's done for you, protecting you and mommy, cheering you up...that's how much he cares..."

"Unka," Allie cooed softly.

Buffy widened her eyes in amazement.

"Wow," she gasped. "You said uncle!"

"Unka," Allie repeated. "Unka."

"Aww," Buffy chimed.

She pressed a kiss on Allie's forehead.

"I'm sure if he heard you say that, he'd give you a kiss. And even if he didn't, I'll give you one for your 'unka'," Buffy said.

Allie crinkled her nose and giggled.

"Kitty," she said. "Kitty."

"You want a kiss for kitty too?"

Buffy happily obliged and kissed her cheek.

"Mommy!"

"Oh, someone is a kissing moocher but I don't care!" Buffy roared, adoring Allie with kisses.

Buffy drifted into the kitchen to see Dawn engrossed in her science magazine. Buffy sighed when she noticed Dawn hadn't yet cleaned up the mess she made on the counter. Allie pointed at Dawn and bounced within Buffy's hold.

"Mouse!"

Dawn looked up at shot an odd look at Allie as Buffy stifled a laugh. Dawn balked as she pushed from her chair and charged out to the backyard.

"Oh, I love you Allie Cat," Buffy cooed.


	9. Chapter 9

**Ch. 9 Gimme Shelter**

A/N: mentions of Jump the Shark and When the Levee Breaks

Several months later:

"You okay?"

Sam stared at Dean as he looked solemnly out the bar window.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

After the waitress dropped off fresh beers, Dean raised his glass toward Sam.

"To our brother," he proposed.

Sam nodded, raising his own glass and tapped it against Dean's. The two sipped their beers in silent respect for a minute.

"You ever wonder what else we never knew about dad?"

Sam shrugged as he set his beer glass down.

"I guess he had his reasons for not telling us," he said.

Dean shook his head and scoffed.

"Yeah, well, I can't imagine what it was. He wasn't perfect but I never thought he had that kind of secret you know?"

"We all have our secrets."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Dean asked with a suspicious look.

Sam shrugged as he pushed his glass aside.

"Nothing, I think I'm going to just call it a night."

Sam caught his brother scoping out one of the attractive barmaids in the corner.

"Uh, I guess I won't, wait up?"

Dean barely looked away as Sam pushed from the table.

"Guess that answers my question," Sam muttered. "See you tomorrow...at some point."

"Yeah," Dean uttered without really listening.

Sam pushed his jacket on and ambled out of the bar. A few minutes later, the attractive barmaid dropped the tab off, throwing a flirtatious smile at Dean before she sashayed away.

Allie raced around the children's boutique yanking clothes off shelves and racks. Buffy giggled with delight as Allie handed her several different pieces of clothing. Xander shined a jovial grin as Allie collected another outfit from a rack.

"Oh, sweetie, you LOVE to shop don't you?"

"Like mother, like daughter," Xander remarked.

Allie picked off a blue tee shirt from the shelf and skipped over to Buffy. She pushed the shirt into Buffy and bounced in her stance.

"Can I have it?" Allie asked.

Buffy widened her eyes in awe at her precocious toddler.

"Wow, who'd you pick that phrase up from?"

Allie bounced and waved the tee shirt at Buffy.

"Can I have it? Puh-leeez mommy? Puh-leez?"

Allie pouted as Buffy took the blue tee shirt from her. She looked over the outline of a heart with the words, "Daddy's Little Girl" emblazoned inside. Buffy gulped as Xander absorbed her awkward expression. Buffy brushed a hand over Allie's head.

"Uh, you know sweetie, this is uh, too big," Buffy said. "And it's blue, don't you want something in pink?"

Buffy bit down on her lip as she returned the tee shirt to the shelf and picked out a pink one instead.

"What about this one? It's got a glittery star on it."

Allie shined a toothy grin and nodded.

"Okay."

Buffy sighed in relief as Allie went back to running around the boutique.

"Wow, did you just 'daddy block' Allie?"

Buffy winced with guilt as she glanced at Allie by the toy section.

"Yeah, I know, it was a horrible thing to do," she moaned. "I mean, it's not like she actually read what that shirt said but...it'll just prompt questions if she wants to wear it out somewhere and people comment..."

"Making for the awkward moments for mommy," Xander remarked.

Buffy moped with more guilt.

"I'm a terrible person, huh?"

Buffy leaned against the shopping basket and let out another sigh.

"Is she getting curious?"

"A little bit yeah, she's seen kids her age with their dads or two parents and she'll just stare at them for awhile."

Allie made a beeline back to Buffy.

"Mommy, can I have it? Puh-leez?"

Allie shook the doll at Buffy. Buffy beamed a maternal smile and gently took the doll from Allie. Allie ran off to another display area of toys as Buffy set the doll in her shopping basket.

"So what are you going to tell her when she asks you about him?"

Buffy let out a deep breath as Allie piled toys onto the floor.

"I don't know," Buffy sighed.

"I'm sure you'll figure something out."

Allie ran back to Buffy and tugged her over to the pile of toys on the floor.

"Mommy! I want these!"

Buffy eyed the pile stacked with nearly a shelf full of toys.

"Oh wow sweetie, that's a lot of toys," she said.

"Can I have it?"

"Well, we already have a lot of clothes and toys for you, but since you're using some birthday money, you can pick out...three toys to have and the clothes in this basket, okay?"

Allie nodded as she sifted through the pile. As they waited in a short line, Xander glanced at Buffy as she took inventory of the items in her basket.

"I can cover some if you don't have enough," he offered.

Buffy beamed an appreciative smile as she snatched out her wallet.

"Thanks but I should be able to cover it."

After the clerk rang up all her purchases, Xander shined his awe when Buffy picked through a large wad of cash.

"Wow, if I know you were rolling in dough, I would have made you buy me lunch."

Buffy giggled at Xander's mock frown before checking on Allie. She smiled down at Allie as Xander clutched her hand.

"Well, this shopping spree was courtesy of Allie's namesake."

Xander nodded in acknowledgment.

"Oh, you mean the 'infamous' Dean, according to your sister."

Buffy rolled her eyes when she pictured Dawn's disapproving scowl.

"Anyway, he gave her some money before she was born and for her birthday. I've been saving it for when she was old enough to want to pick stuff out."

Allie tugged on her mom's sleeve and stared up at her with wide eyes.

"Is Uncle Dean here?"

Xander picked up the numerous bags from the register as Buffy pulled Allie into her arms.

"Oh, no, sweetie, wow, you just hear his name and you get excited huh?"

"When he coming here mommy?"

Xander strolled along side Buffy as they exited the boutique.

"I don't know Allie, he has a very important job that keeps him busy but he stops in from time to time."

Allie drew a deep pout and scowled.

"I want Uncle Dean!" she cried. "I – want – Uncle – Dean!"

Xander shined his awe as Buffy noticed several people watching Allie curiously.

"Allie, please don't yell in the mall okay?"

Allie cupped her little hands around her mom's face and deepened her glare.

"I – want - Uncle – Dean!" she roared.

Buffy let out a breath as she pivoted toward the mall entrance.

"Okay, it's time to go home now," she said sternly.

A few hours later, Buffy shuffled down the stairs and heaved a sigh of exhaustion. She found Xander in the living room assembling a toy castle.

"Allie okay?" he asked.

Buffy collapsed on the couch and nodded.

"Yeah, I finally got her to settle down after..."

Buffy glanced at the clock above the TV unit and gasped at the time.

"Two and a half hours," she moaned. "She has officially hit her terrible twos early. I'm happy she's so advanced at her age but THIS is not what I had in mind."

Xander set the toy castle in a corner and sat down next to his long time friend.

"Not to sound offended or anything, but I think Allie likes her uncle Dean more than her Uncle Xander, even with all the fluffy bribes I've given her."

Xander nodded to one corner of the room littered with various stuffed animals. Buffy let out a chuckle as she set her feet on the ottoman.

"Well, it's nothing against you at all Xander," she assured. "It's just that Allie has this...unique connection to Dean, I think it's because he was there when she was born. Anyway, she really does adore you, bribes or no bribes."

"Yeah, she's a very loving kid."

Buffy shined a proud smile.

"Yeah, she definitely is."

"Remember when you used to complain about not being able to go to a dance or having a boyfriend of the non-I want to eat you kind?"

Buffy let out a yawn that gravitated into a chuckle.

"Yeah, I've come a long way huh?"

After Buffy released a deeper yawn, Xander rose to his feet.

"If you want to doze off for awhile, I can watch Allie," he offered.

Buffy burrowed her head into a pillow and smiled with gratitude.

"Mmm, are you sure? She can be quite rambunctious."

"I've been in a houseful of teenage Potentials AND your sister, I think I can handle rambunctious."

Buffy snickered softly.

"Okay, maybe for about twenty minutes or so," she said. "If Allie wakes up, she's got a bottle of juice in the fridge."

Xander saluted as he pivoted toward the stairs.

"Oh, and remember, don't give her any chocolate milk no matter how many cute pouts or expressions she gives you."

"No worries, I won't bow down to a one and a half year old!" Xander vowed.

Fifteen minutes later, Xander checked on Allie as Buffy dozed off downstairs. Allie slowly rolled out of her bed and drew weary eyes at Xander.

"Hey Allie, I've got your juice bottle if you're thirsty."

Allie shook her head as she reached her arms out to Xander.

"I want chocolate milk."

Xander picked Allie up and tried to give her the bottle. She shook her head and pushed it away.

"I want chocolate milk," Allie reiterated.

"You can have juice."

Allie shook her head and then pouted.

"I want chocolate milk. Puhleez Uncle Xander, puhleez?"

Xander gulped as Allie's endearing expression quickly chipped away at his composure.

"Um, don't you want juice?" he posed as he shook the bottle.

Allie shook her head and moped deeper.

"Chocolate milk, puh-leez?"

Allie leaned forward and kissed Xander on the cheek.

"Puh-leez?" she cried.

Xander gulped again as Allie bestowed another kiss on his cheek.

"Uh...maybe just a few sips wouldn't hurt?"

A short time later, Buffy roused from her nap when she heard a ruckus in the kitchen. She shuffled into the kitchen to see Xander watching Allie as she banged pots and pans together. The floor was littered with dishes, cups, plastic containers and mixing bowls as Allie ran circles around Xander. Allie bounced up and down and giggled as Buffy watched her suspiciously.

"Uh, Xander, did you give her chocolate milk?"

Xander gulped when he met Buffy's questioning look. He winced with guilt and pinched his fingers together.

"I might have given her some," he confessed.

Buffy whined softly as Allie ran around the island counter banging a wooden spoon against a pan.

"Did she hit you with a series of cute pouts?"

"A couple and...cheek kisses."

"Oh, she's getting really good at working that I'm so cute card."

"Sorry," Xander moaned.

Allie dashed out of the kitchen and into the living room, giggling with glee.

"It's okay, Giles caved after just one cute smile," Buffy sighed.

A few months later:

"Wow, look at that, man gives birth to twin puppies."

Buffy swung her eyes from her grocery basket as Janie flipped through a tabloid magazine.

"You actually read that stuff?"

Allie squeezed between her mother and the aisle, determined to set items on the check out counter. Buffy beamed a maternal smile as Allie moved back and forth from her little shopping basket to the check out counter. Janie pushed her cart behind Buffy's and shrugged.

"I don't know, it's entertaining," Janie said. "I mean, it's like a horror movie, it's campy, funny escapism. Some of it seems straight out of a sci-fi show."

Janie checked on Carly before displaying a two page article to Buffy.

"Especially these 'events' that happened all in one day – 'Alaskan fishing crew mysteriously go blind', 'Ten species go extinct in Key West..."

Buffy briefly glanced at the third tabloid report that read: "Upstate New York teacher slaughters sixty-six students." She gulped when her gut rumbled with an unsettling feeling. She hugged Allie to her hip as she swept her eyes around the grocery store.

"Where do they come up with this stuff?" Janie posed as she set the tabloid back in the rack. "You know what's sad is that some people actually believe in it. Crazy huh?"

"Yeah, crazy," Buffy muttered.

Buffy let out a breath when her senses detected no supernatural threat around her. She plucked Allie back into the child seat of the shopping basket as Janie and Carly started putting their items out.

"I remember when I was a kid, somebody told me the urban legend about..."

Janie leaned toward Buffy and lowered her voice.

"Bloody mary," she whispered. "You know, if you say it three times..."

Buffy nodded as she quickly swiped her card and signed off on the receipt.

"Well, anyway, those people who believe in it, REALLY need to get a life you know?"

"Yeah, seriously."

A short time later, after Buffy settled Allie in the living room with an animated movie, she brought her laptop to the couch and started perusing the internet.

"Ariel! Look mommy!" Allie chimed.

Buffy shot Allie a smile as Ariel from the Little Mermaid appeared on screen.

"I see her, she's so pretty huh?"

Allie grinned and turned back to the TV as Buffy stumbled upon a few sensationalist stories involving the teacher that slaughtered students. She skimmed the article and developed the same unsettling sensation in her stomach. Another internet article from a cult site had the headline: Sixty Six Student Deaths Bring the Apocalypse.

After several more minutes of skimming articles about the fishing crew and extinct species, Buffy let out a breath of apprehension. When Allie started singing along to the musical number on TV, Buffy forced out a breath and collapsed the laptop. She scooped Allie into her lap and folded her arms firmly around her as the creatures under the sea danced and sang.

"I wanna be a mermaid," Allie said.

Buffy pushed away the doomsday images flashing through her mind. She hugged Allie tightly, kissing the top of her head.

"A mermaid huh? That means you have to live under the sea and mommy would miss you so much Allie."

"You be a mermaid," Allie said as she shifted around in Buffy's lap to meet her eyes.

"I should be a mermaid too?"

"Uh huh. Allie and Mommy be mermaids. Under the sea!"

"Ohhh," Buffy said. "Sounds like a plan. We'll swim all day and...sleep in a giant clam shell at night. But, won't we miss our friends?"

"Sebastian our friend."

"Yeah, that's true, he's a good friend but...what about Auntie Willow and Uncle Xander, if we're mermaids we can't come to shore to see them."

Allie shrugged as she turned to face the TV. Buffy rested her chin on top of Allie's head, squeezing her lovingly.

"Sounds nice anyway Allie," she said. "As long as you're safe."

Dean pressed the gas pedal into the floorboards and cranked the volume of the radio as he flew down a lonely, dark highway. He glanced in the rear view mirror and saw the dark blood seeping from the corner of his mouth. He shook his head as fury boiled through his veins. When he felt his cell phone buzzing in his jacket, he shifted within his seat, briefly glancing at the blur of highway signs as he sped by.

"Bobby," he grunted.

"Where've you been? I've been calling you for hours! You too good to answer your phone boy?" Bobby posed gruffly.

"Been busy," Dean replied succinctly.

"You find Sam?"

"Yeah."

"And?"

Dean flashed on his confrontation with Sam that had ended in a brutal fist fight. He flushed the memory away as the sting of betrayal burned through his system.

"And I don't want to talk about it," he barked.

"Well, where are you?"

"Driving."

"Driving to where?"

"Don't know."

"You're a man of many words," Bobby spat.

Dean heaved a sigh when he heard the scolding tone.

"I'll drop in later, right now I just need to...clear my head."

"Whatever, just answer yer damn phone when it rings," Bobby snapped before he abruptly hung up.

Dean stuffed his phone back in his pocket before he took notice of the highway signs. He blinked rapidly in mass surprise when he realized what direction he was heading. He shook his head and scoped the closest off ramp, determined to turn around but as the abysmal ache in his heart resonated in sharper pangs, he found his hands steadying the course toward Illinois.

As the afternoon sun sank into the horizon, shining golden and amber tones over the paved streets of Cohasset, Dean quickly steered the Impala through the neighborhood before easing to the curb. After hesitating for a second, he finally rapped on the door. As he shifted anxiously in his stance, he noticed the driveway was empty but it was very possible the car was just parked in the garage. After another minute without an answer, he let out a heavy sigh.

It was probably a good thing no one was home, since he had vowed to stay away. As he bounded down the walkway, half out of his mind with bitterness and rage, he barely noticed a woman perched by the mailbox, observing him curiously.

"Can I help you with something?" she asked.

Dean snapped out of his black daze as his eyes pulled over the ravishing, slender brunette.

"Oh yeah," he blurted impulsively.

As his eyes drifted up to regard the brunette, she displayed her wary concern while staring at the blood on his face.

"Oh, are you okay?"

"I am now," he said with a smirk.

After a moment, the brunette burst with a bout of laughter.

"You must be Dean," she said.

Dean shined his wonder as the brunette beamed a grin of amusement.

"Do I know you? Cause uh, I really think I'd remember."

The brunette chuckled softly when Dean felt his eyes studying all the curves on her body.

"Wow, Buffy wasn't exaggerating when she said you were um...observant..."

Dean shot his eyes back up to the brunette and deepened his wonder.

"Oh, you're a friend of hers or something?"

"Friends, neighbors, co-workers, I'm Janie."

"Oh right."

"I wasn't trying to be nosy. I'm on the neighborhood watch, so, any new faces that wander around here causes a bit of curiosity."

"Nothing wrong with that, it's good that you're looking out for each other."

Janie pointed to the cut on his mouth.

"Did you need a band-aid for that?"

Dean swiped at the cut and shook his head when he saw the blood on his fingers.

"No, thanks, it's nothing, I was just...rough housing with...someone...you know how guys with egos can get..."

Dean forced out a laugh as Janie seemed to buy his story.

"Yeah, I know all too well," she said. "Anyway, Buffy and Allie are at 'Mommy and Me'. They should be back soon."

"Oh, I figured she was busy – I'm not really in town for long so I'm just gonna head on out."

Janie clutched her mail and threw her eyes to the screen door of her house.

"Should I let Buffy know you tried to stop in?"

"No, not worth mentioning since, I really can't stay. It was good to meet you."

"Yeah, you too."

Janie skipped off toward her house as Dean pivoted toward his car. He looked up when he heard a car engine approaching and then a familiar SUV pulling into the driveway.

"Crap," he muttered.

As the SUV rumbled to a stop, he thought of sneaking discreetly away but it was far too late. Buffy shined her surprise through the driver side window before she waved. She climbed out of the car and beamed a warm smile.

"Heyyyy," she said.

Dean let out a sigh as he padded toward the SUV.

"Hey."

Buffy pulled the backdoor open as Dean approached. After she scooped a sleeping Allie out of her car seat, she shaded with concern when she saw his bloodied lip.

"Oh my god," she gasped. "Are you okay?"

Dean gripped the backseat door and pushed it shut as Buffy circled to the trunk.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

Buffy swung the trunk door open as Dean absorbed the sight of Allie.

"Wow, she's gotten so big since the last time I saw her."

"I know, every time I blink she sprouts another inch or learns a new word or phrase."

Buffy sniffled with maternal sentiment for a second.

"I really wish she would quit growing up so fast," she moaned.

Buffy adjusted her hold on Allie as she balanced her bag on her other shoulder while also tugging at the collapsed stroller in the trunk.

"Uh geez, let me take...something."

Dean reached forward and yanked the stroller out of the trunk and set it on the ground. He pulled the bag off of Buffy's shoulder leaving her to carry Allie. Buffy smiled with appreciation as she strolled toward the front door.

"Thanks. You just stopping in for a little bit?"

"Yeah, I uh...I just thought I'd check in on you, see how you're doing."

"We're doing great," Buffy exalted with a smile.

"Good, I'm glad to hear it. You deserve it."

Buffy perched on the porch as something in his tone drew her curiosity. Keeping her eyes on him as she unlocked the door, she furrowed her brows in wonder.

"Are you sure you're okay Dean? You seem like something is bothering you. Allie will be down for awhile so you're welcome to hang out and talk shop with me if you need to."

Dean shook his head adamantly. "No, I'm sorry if I'm being a downer. I just...there's been a lot of stuff going on lately and..."

Dean set the stroller aside, pushed the door closed and sighed heavily.

"You know, I'm not in the best of moods so I really shouldn't have bothered you," he lamented. "I'm gonna go."

Buffy perched by the foot of the stairs and drew a compassionate expression.

"You're not bothering us. You're always welcome here," she insisted. "You know how much Allie loves to see you, so just stay for a bit."

"I don't know, it's probably better if I..."

"Just have a seat and STAY," Buffy stressed.

After absorbing the glow of her determined glare, Dean let out a sigh as he angled toward the living room.

"Alright but...I can't stay long."

Buffy nodded as she footed a step.

"I'll be down in a sec, help yourself to anything in the fridge."

Buffy drifted upstairs leaving Dean alone. He ambled into the kitchen and plucked the fridge open, scoping the contents. After pushing through several cases of juice, he found two bottles of beer near the back of the fridge. He fished one out and popped the top off before wandering back into the living room. As he knocked back a long sip, he noticed a significant change in the décor, since his last visit. There were an abundance of framed photos of people, who he assumed were Buffy's friends, adorning the walls, along with some carved letters spelling out 'Summers Girls Rule', painted in pale pink.

He picked a frame off the bookshelf and glanced at Allie in a cat costume, complete with whiskers painted on her cheeks. He unexpectedly laughed at the heavy scowl of disapproval on her face. He set the photo back on the shelf and rolled his sights over the rest, most with Allie by herself, on a carousel horse, crawling, laughing heartily or shining a toothy grin. He paused on the last photo on display, a close up of Buffy and Allie, cheeks pressed together, smiling brightly into the camera, looking immensely happy.

Dean let out a shaky, emotional breath as his memories swelled of the night he brought Allie into the world. He swept a hand across the picture of those two amazing girls, feeling refuge blowing through the numbness in his heart. After a long minute, he turned toward the doorway, realizing that despite Buffy's open invitation, he had vowed to stop dropping in. He shook his head as he stood in her quiet, faintly lit living room, scolding himself in his mind for failing to keep his vow of staying away.

"You can turn the lights on in here."

Dean shook in startle when Buffy snapped on a few lamps behind him.

"Oh, I uh...I didn't want to disturb anything."

Buffy snapped on the remainder of lamps in the living room as Dean continued to look over the photos on the bookshelf. She widened her eyes in surprise when she noticed the bottle in his hand.

"I have beer in my house? Huh, that's very unlike me."

"I found it way in the back of the fridge."

"Oh, that must be leftover from when Xander came to visit awhile ago," Buffy replied. "I never have any adult type drinks other than Diet Coke so feel free to polish it all off."

"Okay."

Dean sank back some more of Xander's beer while staring longingly at the family photo of Buffy and Allie.

"These are really nice pictures," he said softly. "Nice family."

Buffy beamed with maternal pride, sighing with contentment.

"Thanks," she said.

Dean circled his sights around the living room until he fixated on something in the corner.

"That's a...gigantic bear," he said.

Buffy glanced at the five foot pink Care Bear settled on a small chair and giggled.

"Oh, yeah, Xander got that for Allie when he took her to the mall for a few hours so I could study. Needless to say, when she saw it, he couldn't tell her no."

"Yeah, I can see that."

As a memory flashed through his mind, Dean turned around to face Buffy.

"You haven't by chance...ever...walked in to see that bear...drunk and crying and reading...adult oriented fare, have you?"

Buffy shined an odd look.

"Uh, no, can't say I have," she replied.

Buffy heaved with a deep giggle as she pictured the scenario in her mind.

"Let me guess, you have?"

"Uh, actually...yeah, awhile back," Dean confessed.

"Wow, I've had some weird cases in my time but never a...drunken stuffed bear."

Buffy roared with amusement as another image rippled through her mind. Dean strolled around the living room and stopped at the desk set just to the left of the doorway. He glanced at stacks of printouts and notebooks beside the laptop.

"Wait, you said studying, you're going to school?"

"Not fully, I'm just taking a few classes online," Buffy explained. "I uh, I dropped out of college when things in my life got...really hectic. Anyway, my work puts up tuition money for degrees in education so, I thought I'd take advantage, maybe get into preschool or day care education later on."

"Wow, that's pretty ambitious," Dean said. "I figured Allie keeps you pretty busy."

"Yeah, she does," Buffy replied. "But like I said, it's only two classes, all I really have time for and I'm able to download everything online whenever I want."

"Oh, well it sounds like you're really excelling in everything."

"Well, not everything," Buffy admitted softly.

Dean caught a flare of remorse flickering in her eyes as she sat down on the couch.

"What does that mean? You're failing at something?"

"It's more like lacking," Buffy moaned.

"Lacking? In what?"

Buffy flashed a humbled smile as Dean joined her on the couch.

"The past couple of weeks, Allie's seen parents pickup their kids from daycare and she'll focus on the daddy and ask me, 'Where's mine? Where's mine mommy?'"

"Oh."

"Yeah, it's been...challenging to try and explain to her where exactly 'he' is and when I try, I just end up distracting her with a toy or offering to buy her something out of guilt because I feel like I'm lying to her."

"You're not lying. You're just...withholding," Dean clarified with a smile.

Buffy snickered before shading back into a guilty look.

"That doesn't make me feel any better either."

"Well, you can't exactly tell her the truth," he added. "I mean, why would you want her knowing her dad got body jacked by a demon that wasted a bunch of innocent people and took PLEASURE in it? With all the evil crap you've seen, knowing what's out there lurking in the darkness, you can shelter Allie from all of it, you have a choice now. Hell, I WISH my dad had lied to me about the things that went bump in the night, but he raised me around it, he taught me how to hunt it and now...it's what I do...it just wasn't possible for me to do anything else ..."

Buffy gazed at Dean with immense curiosity when he looked off, as if in reflection. She noticed the muscles in his neck tense up as he shifted his sights back onto her.

"So really, you shouldn't feel guilty, all you're doing is protecting her."

"Still, I know at some point when she's older, she's going to ask me what the story is with him and I...can't help but feel...bad..."

When her voice went soft and small, she looked away as if in shame. As a very faint sniffle painted the air, Dean leaned forward and let out a loud sigh.

"Buffy, don't you for one second get down on yourself for what happened to Allie's dad. Stuff just happens in our line of work and no matter what you do to help, how damn hard you try to save someone, sometimes, it's just not meant to be. That guy was broken with grief and hatred...he carved out his own fate, let all that black crap eat away at him until he was nothing inside. To be honest, I'm glad the dude was a meat suit cause in the end he got what he deserved."

Buffy sucked in a breath when the heavy bitterness in his tone rattled her nerves. She rubbed her arms when a chill blasted through her veins as Dean's icy, distant look lingered.

"Are you um...are you sure you don't want to talk about what's...bothering you? I mean if anyone can relate..."

Dean forced out a heated breath as his mind spun furiously with dark thoughts of his time in Hell, his confrontation with Sam, his overwhelming compunction over snapping the First seal.

"I know, I appreciate you wanting to lend an ear but my life is...you think you know someone inside and out, better than themselves but then...in a flash..."

Dean gripped his knees tightly, trying to stave off the bitterness boiling in his system. Buffy shifted uncomfortably in her seat as an awkward silence drifted into the air. She could sense that something was bothering him but it was obvious he wasn't willing to share it for whatever reason.

"Well, um, if there's anything I can do to help..." she started.

Dean buried away the ill feelings raging through him as he soaked in the sight of this living legend who had accomplished such an amazing feat. He forced out a deep breath and pushed a dismissive smile over his face.

"Thanks, but seriously, I'm alright," he said.

After another moment of rolling silence, Buffy nearly jumped out of her skin when the door chime blared through the house. She shot her eyes up the stairs, expecting to hear animated sounds from Allie's bedroom. When she didn't hear anything, she hurriedly answered the door and masked her dismay at the young brunette haired guy standing on the porch, beaming a friendly grin.

"Buffyyyyyy, heyyyyyy."

Buffy pried a polite smile over her face as she leaned against the door.

"Steve, hi," she said.

Steve rolled his eyes over her and widened his grin.

"You look – stellar. You been working out a lot? I can tell."

Buffy bit back a groan when he winked at her with a spark in his eye.

"Is this a good time?"

"Actually it..."

"Cool, I was just on my way home from work thought you might want to share a glass of wine with me? Or, a couple glasses..."

Buffy glanced at the wine bottle before widening her polite smile.

"Uh thanks for the offer but...I just got home a little while ago and my daughter should be up from her nap soon so..."

Steve rocked back on his heels and nodded. 

"Oh right, you have that kid thing."

Buffy stamped back the frown tugging at her face as he waved a hand through the air.

"Well, no worries, I'll do all the wine pouring so you can watch the kid. We can order takeout, you like Chinese? You seem like an exotic food loving girl."

Buffy shifted anxiously in her stance as Steven lingered on her porch, brimming with confidence and an annoying smirk.

Dean burst out of his daze when he heard a guy throwing ropes of charm at Buffy. After a minute of listening to Buffy gently shooting the guy down without success, Dean peeled off his jacket before wandering over to the door. He stepped in behind Buffy and glanced over the guy with an athletic build, wearing pressed slacks and a dress shirt, gleaming with a wide, dauntless smile.

"Hey, is everything okay here?"

Buffy glanced up at Dean when she felt his hand curling very subtly around her wrist. When he squeezed her wrist in a conspiratorial gesture, she gratefully played along as Steve stared at her with that annoying smirk. She beamed a genuine smile up at Dean and nodded.

"Yeah, everything's fine," she said. "Dean, this is Steve – remember I told you about him? How he...helped changed a flat tire for me a few weeks ago and hasn't let me forget it?"

Dean faked an acknowledging nod.

"Oh, right, yeah, so this is the dude that came to your rescue huh? Well, thanks man for the assist. This town really does have 'friendly' neighbors."

Buffy peered out at Steve and bit back her relief when he slowly shifted out of his cocksure grin.

"Oh, you're not...alone," he remarked. "I didn't realize you were...involved."

Buffy detected slight skepticism in his tone as he assessed her for a long minute. She apprehensively pulled Dean's arm around her waist and hung against him, exaggerating a joyful smile. Dean took in the sheer abhorrence flaring in her eyes as she regarded Steve. He stifled a chuckle, maintaining the ruse as Buffy clung to him in silent plea.

"Yeah, yeah, I am," she said. "I thought I mentioned that I wasn't...interested...MANY times...didn't I?"

"Hmm, not sure if you did, a face like yours, it's hard not to get distracted," Steve remarked with a smirk.

"Hey now," Dean cut in. "I appreciate you helping out a pretty lady and all Steve, but you best be saving all that smooth charm for someone, you know, more receptive."

"Can't really blame me," he reasoned. "I know everyone in town and I don't believe I've ever seen you with Buffy."

"Oh, well, my job keeps me away a lot."

"Really, what do you do?"

"I...rid things from people's houses."

"Rid things? You mean like vermin?"

"Yeah, EXACTLY that, I rid vile, ANNOYING, clueless things..."

When Steven furrowed his brows in cluelessness, Buffy stamped down the chuckle begging to tumble out of her throat.

"Oh, I see, that's interesting."

"Yeah, yeah, it can be, especially when you make several attempts to get rid of IT and nothing seems to give it a clue."

Buffy stifled another giggle as Steve seemed perplexed by Dean's statement.

"Anyway, it's dinner time so we got to go. It was nice meeting you, and thanks again for fixing the flat. Take care man."

Dean beamed a smile as he practically kicked the door shut. Buffy let out a huge sigh of relief as she extricated herself from Dean.

"Oh my god," she gasped. "THANKS for the bail assist."

"No problem, that dude was a real piece of work."

Dean shook his head as he walked back into the living room with Buffy.

"I'm surprised you didn't, you know, grip him by the collar and shake him down or, 'accidentally' hit him in the face."

"Oh, believe me, I really wanted to," Buffy admitted. "But I've been trying to live under the radar you know? Most of the time I'm out with Allie when I run into Steve, so there's people around and I can't really..."

"Dead lift trees in broad daylight huh?" Dean posed with a smirk.

Buffy rolled her eyes and groaned. "Am I EVER gonna live that down?"

"Not really, I mean, it was kind of awesome that you could do that."

"Well, I'm trying to be a good example for Allie," Buffy reasoned. "I don't want her to think that she can hit or shakedown a boy just because he is annoyingly persistent and can't take a hint."

"Right, let her mom deal with that kind of boy."

"Hmm, I think I already did."

When Buffy gave him a knowing look, he whipped his eyes around the living room.

"Who you talking about?"

Buffy hitched her head back and chortled from the memory as Dean folded onto the couch.

"Well, it's pretty obvious why you weren't interested, he was smooth, a real smooth DOUCHE BAG."

"Yeah and the fact that he referred to Allie as 'that kid thing' is just a big red flag to me."

"Yeah, I heard that."

"Plus, he never remembers her name; it's always, Andi or Abby, or Kelly."

"Kelly? That's not even in the same letter bracket."

"Yeah, I know," Buffy sighed. "It's clear to me what he's after which is really odd considering there are plenty of women in this neighborhood without kids, I don't know why he tries so hard. You're cut from the same cloth, you tell me?"

Dean faked a grimace and clutched his heart.

"Ouch, that hurts me," Dean cracked. "After everything I've done for you..."

Buffy snorted in amusement for a brief moment.

"Well, like you WOULDN'T know what a guy like that is thinking," she teased.

"Yeah, okay, so maybe I know a LITTLE," he said.

Buffy sputtered with another laugh when she took in his silly smile.

"Anyway, I can't believe he just showed up on my doorstep like that so thanks again for..."

"Lying through my teeth? No problem, I'm pretty good at it if you haven't figured that out by now. I'm not so sure that was the best option for you though."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, small neighborhood like this, people talk, so stuff might get around about...me and...you...and...I don't know, it might keep the non douche baggy guys away, someone you might actually want to have around carting a bottle of wine for you..."

Buffy let out a sigh as she looked over the bins of toys in the living room.

"Honestly? I'm okay with it because I'm not really that interested," she confessed. "Allie fulfills my life so much. It's funny, you know, when I was younger I used to, mope about the lack of boyfriend but now...having a child, it changes your perspective about what really matters. And for me, Allie is it, everything I do now, is for her."

As a peaceful silence swept through the air, Dean soaked in Buffy's maternal smile. After hearing a soft shuffling from the top of the stairs, Buffy drew her eyes out the living room to see Allie on the landing peeking through the banister. She yawned as she clutched a doll under her arm.

"Hey sweet girl!" Buffy cooed. "Look who's here?"

Allie rubbed her sleepy eyes as she footed the steps. Her long dark blonde hair was tousled and bouncing behind her. She perched by the foot of the stairs and stared at Dean for a moment. She burst with a bright grin after recognizing the face.

"Uncle Dean!" she squealed.

Allie darted into the living room and jumped onto the couch, falling into Dean's lap.

"Uncle Dean!"

Dean shined his awe as he marveled at the pint sized toddler. He chuckled briefly after reading the statement on her purple tee shirt: I Know I'm Cute So Stop Staring!

"Hey Allie, wow, you...you can say my name now, huh?"

Allie nodded and began bouncing up and down on the couch.

"Un-cle Dean! Un-cle Dean! Un-cle Dean!"

Buffy giggled as Allie smashed playfully into Dean, nearly toppling him over the arm of the couch.

"Woah, geez, that's quite a body knock for a kid," he gasped.

Allie bounced on the couch and shined a toothy grin.

"I have teef! I have long hair!"

Allie shook out her dark blonde hair before she pulled up her tee shirt.

"I have a belly button!"

Dean shined his amazement as Allie poked her belly button.

"I have hands and feet!"

Allie shook out her hands and feet at Dean.

"Wow. She's really talking a lot."

Buffy flashed a proud smile.

"Yeah, she picks up words and phrases so fast. She's reciting a song she learned in daycare."

Allie jumped up and down.

"I have a mommy and daddy!"

Buffy gulped as Allie pointed to her.

"Um, Allie, remember what you're supposed to say to Uncle Dean the next time you saw him?"

Allie stopped bouncing as Buffy engaged her sights.

"For all the stuff you got from the toy store because of him?"

"Thank you!" Allie roared.

"And what else?"

Allie threw her arms around Dean and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Dean sucked in a breath as the blast of pure innocence soared through him. He gave Allie a pat on the back as his eyes gathered with moisture. He swallowed back his rising emotions as Allie pulled away.

"Uh, you're welcome," he stuttered.

Allie hopped into Dean's lap and stared intently at him.

"You have an owee!"

Allie pointed to the cut on his mouth before she leaped off the couch and ran over to a toy bin. Dean watched in awe as Allie dug through her toys.

"She's come a long way from shrieking like a cat."

"Yeah, she really has developed so quickly."

Allie ran back to the couch and tugged on Buffy's hand.

"Mommy, I don't want you here," she said.

Buffy gasped and moped. "What? You don't want me here? Oh Allie, that makes mommy sad."

Allie shook her head and giggled.

"Don't be sad. I want him to myself!"

Buffy snapped her eyes wide in shock.

"Uh what? Oh my...where did you learn that phrase? Auntie Faith maybe?"

"I want Uncle Dean to myself!"

Buffy exaggerated a stern look as she swept her eyes from Dean to Allie.

"Well, I don't think I like where this is going," she said.

Allie pushed her hands into Buffy.

"Go upstairs mommy," Allie said.

"You want to be alone with Dean huh? Well, okay, I know you want to spend time with him but..."

"I be okay mommy," Allie said with a smile. "Uncle Dean is here!"

Buffy sucked in a breath of awe at her little girl.

"I know sweetie," she replied. "Mommy's just...jealous."

Buffy giggled before she kissed Allie's cheek. She glanced down at Dean as he eyed the doorway.

"I know you can't stay long so um," she said. "So if you have to go now..."

Allie leaned against Dean and grinned.

"Uncle Dean play with Allie! Puh-leez?"

Buffy smirked with amusement.

"Uh oh, there she goes, hitting you with her 'I'm so cute you can't resist me!' card. She's got you now."

Buffy chortled as Dean absorbed Allie's endearing grin.

"Puh-leez Uncle Dean? Puh-leez?"

"Uh...alright, but just for a little bit okay?"

Allie pushed her hands into Buffy's backside and steered her toward the doorway.

"I play with Uncle Dean now!"

"Okay, okay, I can take a hint," Buffy teased.

After Buffy footed a few steps of the stairs, she peered into the living room and watched as Dean swept a hand over Allie's hair, parting it from her eyes. Buffy let out a joyful sigh as Allie animatedly sang to Dean. She floated up the rest of the stairs, letting Allie have her time.

"I have a nose!" Allie roared as she pointed to her nose.

Allie ran to her toy bin and pulled out a pink stethoscope.

"Uncle Dean! I check your heart!"

"Uh, okay."

Allie climbed onto the couch and slipped the stethoscope on. She licked her lips and listened for a second.

"Well, Dr. Allie, how does it sound?"

Allie tapped on his heart and licked her lips again.

"It sounds sad," she said.

Dean widened his eyes in amazement as she tapped on his heart again.

"My heart...sounds...sad?"

"Uh huh. It sad."

Allie drew a pout and pressed her hand on his heart.

"Oh, well...is there...a cure for a...sad heart?"

Allie lit up with a smile.

"Uh huh! I have medsin!"

She jumped off the couch and ran to a pink toy kitchen. She yanked the oven door open and ran back to Dean, climbing into his lap.

"Take two of these," she said handing Dean two packaged mini chocolate chip cookies. "And two of THESE!"

Allie leaned forward and kissed Dean twice on the cheek. Dean blinked with disbelief at the little girl before him. It seemed like only yesterday he had bundled her up in a blanket and handed her to her mom. As her hazel eyes glowed brilliantly, he felt a shimmer of warmth blazing through his icy heart.

"Cookies and kisses from a pretty girl," he replied. "Well, that's the best medicine EVER!"

"It's mommy's medsin!" Allie squealed.

"Oh, well your mom is awesome Allie. I hope you know that."

Allie grinned gleefully and nodded.

"Uh huh! I love mommy!"

As Allie started to jump on the couch, Dean gently held her in place, drawing a look of concern.

"Good, cause your mom loves you and she really needs you," he stressed. So be good to her, listen and do what she tells you, cause she wants you to be happy and safe."

Allie widened her grin and patted Dean's heart with her little hand.

"Don't worry, be happy!" she cried.

Allie gave Dean a kiss on the cheek and shined a loving smile.

"Feel better?" she asked. "Uncle Dean, you feel better?"

Dean gasped in awe when Allie patted his shoulder in a consoling manner. He drew a small smile and nodded.

"You know what? I think I do," he said softly.

Allie widened her smile as she jumped off the couch.

"I need a drink!" she roared with a toothy grin.

"Yeah, me too."

Dean chuckled as he rose to his feet. Allie skipped along side him as he strolled into the kitchen and swung the fridge door open. He plucked the last of Xander's beer for himself and then looked over the assortment of cartons on the shelves.

"Okay Allie Cat, what do you want? You got apple juice, orange juice, grape juice..."

"Chocolate milk!"

Dean peered inside the fridge, pushing juice bottles aside until he found a small container of chocolate milk with a picture of brown cow on it. He picked it out, set it on the counter and then rummaged through cabinets looking for a cup. He picked up a small yellow sippie cup and poured some of the milk. Allie bounced anxiously in her stance, reaching for the cup.

"There you go."

As Dean leaned against the counter, Allie hung against him, clutching her cup. Dean raised his beer bottle, Allie raised hers and grinned. She watched Dean sinking back a long sip of beer before she chugged a long sip of chocolate milk.

"Good drink?" he asked.

Allie nodded and giggled as she sucked down the milk. Dean chuckled at her enthusiastic beverage drinking, soon joining in with his own long sip.


	10. Chapter 10

**Ch. 10 Save the Last Dance for Me**

**A/N: Partial mention of "Free to Be You and Me"**

"More! I want more!"

Allie held her cup up to Dean and smiled. Dean took out the container of milk and poured some more into her cup. Allie fervently guzzled the milk, bouncing in her stance until she finished the second portion. She held the cup up to Dean and smiled again.

"I done!"

As Dean set the cup on the counter, Allie tugged on his sleeve.

"I have puzzle Uncle Dean!" Allie roared. "Come here!"

Allie flew out of the kitchen and into the living room, pulling a small pink table with cutouts of shapes in the center. As Dean drifted after her, Allie bounced up and down in excitement. She picked up a puzzle piece and waved it at him.

"It's a square!" she squealed.

Dean watched in complete awe as Allie set the square piece in the appropriate cutout. Allie picked up another piece and ran over to Dean as he folded onto the couch.

"Here, this one for you," she said as she handed him a triangle piece.

Allie licked her lips and pulled the pink table closer to Dean.

"Put it where it goes," she instructed with an eager smile.

"Okay, let's see...hmm, oh yeah it goes here."

Dean pushed the triangle piece into the circle cutout. Allie giggled and shook her head.

"No, it don't go there Uncle Dean."

"It doesn't? Are you sure? I really think that this triangle goes there."

"Noooooo," Allie sang. "It don't go there."

"Really? Well, hmmm."

Dean faked a perplexed look as he scratched his head.

"Well then I don't know where it goes..."

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"Sure."

Allie giggled as she grabbed his hand and moved it to the triangular piece.

"It go there!" she said.

"Oh...yeah, of course," Dean replied with a smile. "You are super smart Allie Cat."

Allie bounced excitedly in her stance as she put the remainder of puzzle pieces in their slots.

"Uncle Dean! Spin!"

"Spin?"

Allie nodded fervently as she grabbed his hand.

"I want to spin and dizzy!"

"Uh okay."

Dean slowly twirled her around in a circle. Allie sputtered with hearty giggles and grinned up at Dean.

"Faster!" she wailed joyously.

Allie giggled some more as Dean whirled her around continuously, her little feet dancing beneath her. Allie shined another grin as she wobbled to the ground and sighed happily.

"Aaaaaahhhhh, I dizzy!"

Allie rested her head against the carpet and giggled again. After a moment, she sprung to her feet and leaned against Dean.

"I'm having fun!" she declared.

Allie beamed a bright grin as she stared up at Dean. She grabbed his hand and tugged it eagerly.

"Uncle Dean! Uncle Dean! This way! This way!"

Allie bounced fervently in her stance until Dean rose to his feet.

"This way!" she squealed.

Allie pointed toward the sliding glass doors of the patio.

"Outside?"

"Uh huh, this way!"

Dean followed Allie through the kitchen as she grabbed the handle of the door and yanked on it. She scowled deeply when the door wouldn't budge after several yanks.

"I wanna go out there!"

Dean pushed the door open and let Allie out. She darted onto the small grassy yard, heading toward a Minnie Mouse ride on. She sat on the seat and scooted her feet across the grass, giggling heartily. Dean took a glance around the yard littered mostly with Allie's outdoor toys. When he noticed a green tarp draped over a box, he curiously peeked underneath. Allie plucked off her ride on and ran over to Dean.

"That my slide! But mommy not finish."

Dean cocked an eyebrow when he saw that only the corner of the box had been opened.

"Looks like mommy didn't start," he said.

Allie shook her head as she patted on the box.

"Mommy not finish!"

Allie kneeled down in front of the box to study the picture of a pink slide. She cupped her chin with both hands and stared up at Dean.

"I wanna go on slide. Puh-leez Uncle Dean?"

Allie curled her mouth into a pout as she deepened her stare. Dean cracked with amusement as Allie kissed his cheek.

"Wow, you really know how to lay on the charm to get what you want huh kid? Okay, okay, this thing doesn't seem too complicated to put together so before I go, you'll have your slide."

Allie jumped up and down in excitement.

"Yay!"

A short time later, Buffy snuck down the stairs and peered into the living room. Her throat tightened with apprehension when she found the living room empty. She swung her sights into the kitchen and spotted Allie running around the backyard. She blew out a breath of relief as she passed through the kitchen and poked her head out the sliding door. Allie was pulling a long pink streamer tied to a stick through the breezy air, giggling each time the ribbon lightly swatted her face.

Buffy stepped out onto the deck and grinned with maternal love as Allie sped by her with the pink streamer. After watching Allie for a minute, Buffy shifted her sights onto Dean as he crouched over something. She wandered over and widened her eyes when she saw the pink slide upended as Dean tightened several bolts into the bottom.

"You put her slide together?"

Dean finished up the last bolt and cracked an amused smirk up at Buffy.

"Yeah, I figured I'd finish what you never started," he taunted before bursting into a chuckle.

Buffy exuded a sheepish expression as Dean flipped the slide upright and tested its foundation.

"I've been meaning to get around to it, I have," she confessed. "I just haven't had a chance to...start..."

Allie zipped over to Dean clutching her pink streamer. Dean tapped on the slide and smiled at Allie.

"Okay Allie Cat, you're all set, slide your little heart out."

Allie squealed as she ran around the slide and climbed up the steps. Buffy watched with bated breath as Allie reached the top and slipped down the four foot chute. Allie roared with glee when her feet settled on the grass, immediately launching toward the steps. Buffy beamed with an intense grin as Allie shot down the chute repeatedly, squealing and giggling each time.

"Thanks for doing that," she said, directing her smile onto Dean.

"No problem, you got a lot on your plate with Wonder Kid here."

"Was she okay with you? She didn't get fussy or anything?"

Dean stuffed the plastic packaging back in the box and straightened. He gave a dismissive smile and took a moment to soak in Allie's pure delight as she shot down the slide.

"No, she's a great kid. Really smart for her age too."

"Yeah, she is. So she didn't ask you for anything?"

"Not really, I mean, she was thirsty so I got her something to drink."

"Oh, that's good."

Allie whirled back around to the steps as Buffy suddenly stamped her eyes wide with anxiety.

"You didn't by chance um...give her chocolate milk, did you?"

Seeing the flare of dread in her eyes, Dean feigned an innocent look.

"Uh...no...cause that would be bad, right?"

Buffy sighed in relief as Allie clapped at the top of the steps.

"No, not really bad in the horrible sense. I let her have some in the morning when she's going to be running around anyway, but this late in the day if she has some she gets a bit of an energy buzz, it's all she'll want and then she won't eat dinner until late, which means she usually won't go to bed until late, which means she doesn't wake up until late, which means mommy is late for work, it's just a domino effect of lateness..."

Dean masked his guilt as Allie ran across the yard with seemingly boundless energy.

"Oh, uh, it's a good thing I didn't give her...any."

"Well, you're stronger than the rest of her uncles," Buffy praised. "Because I swear, Xander, Giles and even Andrew have all been broken down by her cute little smile or even a wave or if she really wants to sucker you in, a kiss on the cheek. I'm surprised she didn't try to pull any of that on you, I really thought she would hit you with something."

"No, she really didn't have to...pull any of that stuff on me."

Dean glanced at Allie's contented smile, narrowing his eyes, feeling slighted. After a second, he shook his head in disbelief.

"Huh, maybe she knows you won't let her get away with it," Buffy snorted.

"Yeah, uh...right."

Allie hit the grass and ran to Buffy, tugging on her sleeve.

"Mommy, I'm hungry, when's dinner?"

Buffy noted the time on her watch.

"Uh, I'll have dinner ready in...twenty minutes baby okay?"

Allie nodded as she tugged on Dean's sleeve.

"Uncle Dean!"

"What?"

"Dinner ready in twenty minutes baby okay?"

Buffy widened her eyes in amazement as Allie held Dean with a cherubic gaze before flying off to a Winnie the Pooh ride on. As Buffy and Dean pulled their eyes from Allie to each other, a brief, awkward silence passed between them.

"I know you can't stay," Buffy replied with an understanding smile. "So um, don't let a little kid coerce you into hanging around for dinner. I don't want to keep you from getting back to Sam."

Dean unintentionally flinched when he heard the name as the sting of reality blew back into his mind. He heaved a deep sigh as a strong gust of wind whipped through the yard. Buffy rubbed her bare arms and shaded with concern when Allie sneezed.

"Allie, come back inside, it's getting too cold out here to play," she said.

Buffy propped the door open as Allie darted toward her. Allie perched just inside the kitchen as Dean ambled through the doorway.

"Uncle Dean!"

Allie rushed over to the kitchen table and patted on a chair.

"You sit here with me and mommy, okay?"

"Allie, Uncle Dean can't stay for dinner."

Allie picked up her Little Mermaid plate and handed it to Dean.

"You can use this!"

Buffy stifled a giggle as Dean stared at the bright green plate with Ariel's face on it.

"Uh, that's okay Allie, that's your plate."

Allie ran over to Buffy and gazed up at her with wide eyes.

"Mommy, Uncle Dean needs a plate!"

"Oh sweetie, you know that visits with Uncle Dean are short..."

Allie flared up with a heavy sulk as her green eyes glistened with moisture.

"But I want him to stay," she cried.

Buffy bit down on her lower lip as Allie held her moping expression.

"Allie," Buffy sighed.

Dean shifted his sights from Buffy to Allie and hung with remorse. Every damn time he tried to stop himself from dropping in and every damn time he failed. He didn't want to cause any friction in Buffy's life and yet here he was, traipsing around her house, entertaining her kid like he was a part of their family. He wasn't and he would never be. But as much as he didn't belong there, it was the only place he wanted to be. Just a short time with those two girls and like magic, the black muck in his head had washed out for awhile.

"It's alright, I'll uh...I'll hang out for a little longer until I annoy you and kick me out."

Buffy drew her eyes to Dean as he sputtered with a laugh. She burst with her own amusement as Allie lifted out of her pout.

"Are you sure I'm not keeping you from Sam?" Buffy asked.

Dean veiled his anger as he forced a dismissive smile over his face.

"No, Sam...Sam's busy with...other stuff right now..."

Buffy studied Dean briefly when something in his tone sparked her curiosity. When Allie began pulling several pots out of cabinets and leaving them on the floor, Buffy shifted her sights and sighed. She gently ushered her out of the kitchen.

"Well sweetie, you coaxed your Uncle Dean into staying a little longer so you have to be a good host and keep him company while mommy starts dinner, okay?"

"Okay!" Allie chimed.

"Why don't you sing him your ABC's?"

Allie grinned and nodded as she darted over to Dean. She gripped the hem of his jacket and stared up at him.

"ABCDEFG!"

As Buffy got a pot of water boiling on the stove, Allie continued to sing, twirling around after every few letters.

"Now I sing my abc's! Won't you sing along with me?" Allie roared.

Allie giggled as Dean fervently applauded and whistled.

"That was awesome Allie, you didn't miss a beat," he extolled.

Allie crinkled her nose and giggled before she started bouncing in her stance. Buffy picked up the yellow sippee cup from the counter and noticed it had a few sips of brown liquid inside. She crooked her eyebrows suspiciously as she glanced at Dean.

"I not miss a beat!" Allie repeated.

Allie stared up intently at Dean as she leaned against his legs.

"Um Dean, I thought you said you didn't give her any chocolate milk," Buffy posed.

Dean found himself smiling with pride as he stared down at Allie.

"I didn't," he said.

"Oh, okay then um, what's this?"

Dean shifted his sights to Buffy and noticed the yellow cup in her hand with a third of chocolate milk still inside. When he took in the lines of apprehension knitting her face, he covered with a casual smile.

"Uh...that's...mine."

Buffy raised an eyebrow in skepticism.

"This is yours?"

As her skeptical look lingered, Dean widened his forced smile.

"Yeah, I LOVE chocolate milk," he cheered.

"And you used...a sippee cup?"

Buffy widened her eyes incredulously as Dean drew out the little lie.

"Yeah, I couldn't find a regular cup so I uh...just took whatever I found."

After staring at him for a long minute, Dean finally broke with a sheepish look.

"Okay, okay, so I might have given her some..."

Buffy seemed resigned as she dumped the cup in the sink and set her sights back on Dean.

"So what did she do? Smile or wave or kiss your cheek a couple times?"

"No, she...asked."

Buffy widened her eyes in surprise.

"She just asked you for chocolate milk and you gave it to her?"

"Yeah, I mean, I didn't know she couldn't have it or that it would wreck your schedule. Sorry."

Buffy shook her head.

"Oh um, I should have warned you."

"Uncle Dean! Spin! Spin!"

Dean latched onto Allie's hand and twirled her around. As Allie sputtered with a bout of giggles, Dean felt the incessant frost in his heart quickly warming over. He sucked in a long breath, trying to keep his emotions at bay as he marveled over the precious little girl.

"More! Spin more!" Allie cried in delight.

"Alright, hold on tight sweetheart," Dean said with a smile.

Allie squealed as Dean spun her around several more times across the length of the kitchen. Buffy burst with a maternal grin as she watched Allie bonding with Dean.

"Ahhh! I dizzy!" she wailed as she wobbled back and forth.

Allie giggled and grabbed Dean by the hand.

"More! Uncle Dean, more!"

"Okay, okay, but you have to promise me you'll go to bed when your mommy tells you. No eating late, no staying up late, no sleeping in and making your mommy late."

Allie grinned and giggled.

"Okay!"

"Okay, then let's dance, huh?"

Buffy beamed a bright smile as Dean twirled Allie around the kitchen, each rotation a bit faster than before. Allie shrieked with joy filling the house with her infectious laughter.

A short time later, Allie pushed her plate aside and looked at Buffy.

"I'm done," she said.

Buffy glanced at the empty plate and shined her amazement.

"Oh wow, you ate all your ravioli," she replied. "Good job baby."

Buffy plucked Allie out of her high chair and set her on her feet.

"I want to watch Sebastian mommy."

Buffy glanced at the time.

"Okay, but just for a little bit."

Buffy pushed from the table and ambled with Allie to the living room. After setting up the beginning of the movie, Buffy drifted back to the kitchen and hung in the doorway, flashing an appreciative smile at Dean as he finished up his plate.

"Thanks for being so patient with Allie," she said. "I know you've got more pressing matters to get back to."

Dean wiped his mouth before waving in dismiss.

"You know how it is with evil things, you put one down, another one springs up somewhere..." he said with a dry smile.

Buffy glanced into the living room to check on Allie before edging back into the kitchen. Dean dropped his plate under the sink, giving it a quick rinse as Buffy studied him in silence. When he felt her eyes weighing on him, he paused and swung around.

"What?"

Buffy flashed an apologetic look.

"I can't help get the feeling that you seem...better than when you first showed up."

Dean shook the water off his hands as he listened to Allie's cheerful singing in the living room. He leaned against the counter as Allie giggled throughout the musical sequence.

"Yeah, I uh, I actually am..." he confessed. "With all the crap I deal with, it's nice to see that you and Allie are having a good life here. It makes my job worth something, you know?"

"It wasn't worth anything before?"

"No, I mean, yeah, I mean..."

Dean heaved a huge sigh as all his black thoughts crammed into his mind. As Allie sang louder in the living room, Dean stopped himself from admitting too much. He wasn't about to burden Buffy with his problems and he had already spent far too long in the sanctuary of her home. He had to stop kidding himself if he thought for one second that the Summers girls could be HIS girls, if he thought this home was HIS home, if he thought this life was HIS life. He was a hunter and after he came back from Hell, he was a damn monster and no amount of pretending, of seeking some kind of temporary reprieve from the pain, would change that fact.

"Never mind," he said softly. "So, other than annoying douche bags coming around the house, have you had any other problems? With uh...the ward going off?"

"No, not since the last time you were here."

"Right."

Dean gripped the edge of the counter as he wallowed in more guilt for a brief moment.

"Tell me something, if things in this town get bad, you know, 'our kind' of bad and for some reason, the ward is breached and things get in, do you have a backup plan, some place safe you can take Allie?"

Buffy furrowed her brows in deep wonder as her muscles tensed with dread.

"Dean, is...is there something brewing that I should be aware of?"

"No," he lied. "I'm just wondering if you've got all your bases covered."

Buffy stared at him with a skeptical look as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"How bad is 'bad'?" she asked.

"Would you just answer my question?"

As his face lingered with reluctance, Buffy blew out an exasperated sigh.

"Look Dean, I appreciate you trying to look out for me, but I know how to handle myself," she stated firmly.

"I know, I never said you can't...but..."

"But nothing," Buffy cut in. "I'm not some single mom in the suburbs who's clueless about the things in the dark. I won't just pick up my life and go somewhere just because you're afraid something is going to happen to me. The kind of life I've lived, I can't just stop looking over my shoulder, especially not now that I have Allie. Wherever I go, I'm always aware and I know I shouldn't be looking into things but..."

Dean shaded with dismay at her admission.

"What have you been looking into?"

"Not HUNTING," she clarified. "Just reading stuff in passing, tabloid fodder mostly, the point is, I worry about Allie twenty-four seven, it doesn't matter whether I'm retired or not, I haven't forgotten everything I've been through since I had her."

Buffy shuffled over to the living room to soak in the sight of Allie as she watched The Little Mermaid. She leaned in the doorway as Dean edged up behind her.

"I didn't mean to imply that you're...rusty," he lamented, remorse heavy in his tone. "Or a bad mom."

Buffy let out a breath as she turned to face Dean.

"You have done an amazing job with her," he added. "And Allie...she's awesome...I was just trying to say, what you have here is priceless and I'd hate to see anything break it..."

Buffy absorbed the grimness hanging over his face as he stared at Allie.

"You still don't think you'll ever get out of hunting?"

As his heart ached with emptiness at the reality of his life, he swallowed back the emotion dangling in his throat. He pivoted toward the front door, too overwhelmed by the happiness flourishing throughout the Summers' home to look into the eyes of a true figure of strength and hope and all that was good about humanity.

"I just...can't..." he answered shakily.

Buffy felt her nerves quiver at the immense sadness in his tone as Dean turned his back on her. She didn't like the tone in his voice or the heavily negative point of view. Her eyes swelled with compassion as she reached a hand and cupped it over his shoulder, trying to coax his sights to meet hers.

"Dean, I think maybe you should hang out a little longer and tell me what's going on," she pleaded.

As a single set of tears shed down his cheeks, Dean quickly wiped them away and sucked in a deep breath. He turned his sights over his shoulder and shook his head.

"I can't. It's really late, I should go," he persisted.

Before Buffy could protest, Dean had already latched a hand onto the door, drawing it open a few inches.

"Thanks - for everything," he said as he swung the door wide. "Bye Allie Cat. Be good."

Allie peeled off the couch and sulked as she ran over to Dean.

"No! I don't want you to go!" she cried.

Allie clung to Dean's leg and sobbed softly. Buffy tried to pry Allie away from Dean but the little girl clutched tightly to him.

"Oh Allie sweetie, I know you love seeing your Uncle Dean but remember I've told you he has a really important job. He has to get back to it, so thank him for taking the time to come and see you," she said gently.

Allie cried some more as Buffy wrenched her away from Dean. Allie wailed with disapproval.

"Noooo!" she roared.

Buffy heaved a sigh and threw an apologetic look at Dean.

"I'm sorry," she moaned. "I figured she'd be this way if she was still up when you left."

Dean settled his eyes on Allie as she continued to sulk.

"Hey, remember what you promised me before our last dance? About being good and listening to what your mom tells you?"

Allie sniffled and slowly nodded.

"Okay, I'm holding you to that promise," he said.

Allie quieted as Dean swept a tousled lock of hair from her face. Buffy smiled in relief when Allie settled down.

"Give Uncle Dean a kiss goodbye?" she asked.

Allie leaned over and gave Dean a sweet peck on the cheek.

"Bye," Allie said, waving her little hand.

"Goodbye sweetheart."

"Give Uncle Dean a kiss goodbye?" Allie asked as she looked up at her mom.

Buffy widened her eyes in amazement before passing an awkward look at Dean.

"She's a repeater..."

Allie shrouded into a mope.

"Give uncle Dean a kiss!"

As her cheeks flushed with color, Buffy cleared her throat, taking in Allie's expectant look. She leaned forward and planted a similar peck on Dean's other cheek. Allie crinkled her nose and giggled with glee.

"Bye Buffy, thanks again for everything."

"No problem, take care of yourself," Buffy said with a smile. "And remember, no matter how bad things seem, there's always hope."

Dean forced an optimistic expression over his face.

"Yeah," he said.

As he passed through the doorway, Buffy suddenly called out to him. He whirled around as Buffy disappeared, then trotted down the steps. She trekked over to Dean, cradling Allie in her arms.

"I almost forgot," she said. "I've been meaning to give this to you the next time you dropped in."

Dean glanced at a small manila envelope addressed with his name.

"I tried to mail it to that PO Box you had on Allie's birthday card but um, it came back to me."

"Oh, yeah, that's because that box isn't really...mine..."

Dean passed her a knowing look, to which she smiled in amusement.

"Okay, I won't ask."

"Thanks."

"Anyway, it's just a little care package of stuff I gave to her party guests, some drawings and photos, oh and she has a website too..."

Dean cocked an eyebrow as he glanced at Allie.

"A website?"

Buffy rummaged through the envelope and fished out a small card.

"Yeah, Willow built it to store photos and videos so that all her aunts and uncles, wherever they are, can check in and see what's new. That's the link and Will set folders up, so um, I just wanted you to have it because I know you can't visit too often."

"Okay, thanks."

"Oh and..."

Buffy fished out a crayon from her pocket and scribbled on the manila envelope.

"And that's the number of my friend Giles, my former Watcher, if you need help with something, anything, you can call him. And you can always call me."

Buffy beamed a heavily compassionate expression up at him as she squeezed his hand.

"Yeah uh, thanks."

As a gusty wind blew through the neighborhood, Buffy shielded Allie from the cold.

"Take care of yourself," Buffy said emphatically. "I wouldn't want anything to happen to Allie's favorite uncle."

Dean could barely contain his composure as Buffy's warm smile and concern cracked through the core of his broken soul. Feeling the walls of his throat moistening with emotion, he cleared the passageway and forced himself to nod.

"You take care too."

"Bye," Buffy said before she drifted back into the house.

Dean perched on the curb, staring at the Summers house in deep contemplation.

"Bye," he uttered softly.

He let out a deep sigh before walking to his car and driving away.

A few months later:

Dean absorbed the deafening silence of his motel room as he sat alone against his bed. As the silence thickened, he snapped the television on and clicked through several channels, pausing briefly on the adult movie in progress. With his dulled senses, he didn't even enjoy the sounds of moans and groans, he clipped the TV off and picked up a shirt, staring at the blood stains on the front. He let out a sigh as he got up and dropped the shirt by the sink. After a few scrubs, he drifted to the table and sat down, raking a hand through his hair. Stewing with frustration, he folded back in his chair and opened his laptop. After cruising through a few bookmarked adult pages, he let out another sigh as he logged off the internet. As his black mood thickened, he fished through his wallet and removed a small card. He clicked back on to the internet and typed in a url address.

After a second to load, he was immersed in a bright pink webpage with white daisies floating across the screen, while curly text splashed the words: Allie's Web Haven. He drew an amused breath as he glanced over the pictures of Allie in the main banner before he noticed several folder icons with names. When he saw his name underneath a folder in the right hand corner of the page, he blinked in surprise. He double clicked on the folder and a new screen opened with a video file. Dean blinked in wonder when the screen faded in to show Allie sitting in Buffy's lap. Buffy prompted Allie to wave and Allie mimicked her action.

"Okay, who do you want to give a message to now sweetie?"

Dean marveled at the sight of Allie, a few months older, her dark blonde hair fastened in a long ponytail as she bobbed her head to look closer into the screen. Buffy gently pulled her back as Allie grabbed the mouse.

"We'll play with the mouse later, right now is message time," Buffy said. "Who do you want to send a message to?"

"Um...Uncle Dean!" Allie roared.

"Okay, the camera's on so what do you want to say to Uncle Dean?"

"Um...hi!"

Allie licked her lips and waved fervently. After a long moment of reeling with awe, Dean burst into an emphatic chuckle as Allie pushed her face into the screen.

"Allie, please sit still," Buffy moaned. "Okay, um anything else you want to say?"

Allie looked up at Buffy.

"Um, I miss you."

Buffy pointed to the screen.

"Aw, can you say it again into the camera sweetie?"

Allie turned to the camera.

"I miss you Uncle Dean!"

Dean felt a jolt of warmth from Allie's sweet smile as she waved into the camera. After gasping in awe, Dean felt his instincts tighten after sensing a presence in the room. He turned his sights to see Cass and jumped in startle. He frowned with annoyance as Cass peered over his shoulder.

"Cass, what have I told you about personal space man?"

Cass gave an acknowledging nod.

"Yes, sorry."

He stepped back and then glanced at the screen.

"What are you looking at?" Cass asked.

"Uh...just a...documentary about...stuff..."

Cass furrowed his brows in puzzlement as he watched a little girl waving into the screen.

"About what stuff? Why is the child waving?"

Dean fumbled with the laptop, clicking off the webpage.

"Uh...no reason."

Dean collapsed the laptop and pushed it aside as Cass deepened his look of puzzlement.

"It's nothing that concerns you," Dean sighed. "Now, how'd you find me anyway?"

Meanwhile:

Buffy peeked into Allie's bedroom as she cradled a phone to her ear.

"Okay, thanks Andrew," she said softly.

Buffy smiled as Allie shifted in her sleep, clutching her pink kitty. Buffy crept quietly out of the bedroom and shuffled down the hall.

"Yeah, if you could just have Giles call me in the morning...no, everything is fine here. But um, what's going on out there?"

Buffy heaved a sigh as she ambled into her bedroom.

"Yeah, I know I'm not supposed to snoop into the supernatural anymore Andrew I was just wondering if there is something going on I should be prepared for..."

Buffy heard a pause and then chatter on the other line as she sat on the edge of her bed, waiting for Andrew to respond. After several minutes of waiting, Buffy blew out an impatient sigh.

"Yeah, I'm still here...um, that's okay, I know you're all busy, just please ask Giles to call me tomorrow. Thanks bye."

Buffy hung up the phone and rubbed the tension in the back of her neck. She retreated back to Allie's bedroom and heard her stirring in her sleep. After a second, Allie turned on her side and quieted. Buffy pulled the blanket over her and gently kissed the top of her head. She moved to the window and peeked through the curtains, scoping the street below for several minutes. When her instincts remained calm and no shadows or sounds outside stirred her alarm, she heaved a sigh of relief. She glanced at Allie a third time before ambling out of the bedroom.


	11. Chapter 11

**Ch. 11 The World's Best Kept Secret**

**A/N: **mentions of 'Abandon All Hope', 'Swap Meat', 'My Bloody Valentine'.

**Disclaimer:** Song lyrics belong to Guns N Roses

_A few weeks later_:

Buffy paced apprehensively in the living room as her eyes pulled to a national news report. She read the captions scrolling across a montage of flash floods, thunderstorms and cars floating in muddy rivers.

"...the Governor called a press conference early this morning, officially declaring the county of Paulding as a state of emergency..."

"Buffy? I'm very sorry I haven't called you back until now."

Buffy heaved a breath as she folded onto the couch, lowering the volume of the news report.

"It's okay Giles, I know you're busy."

"I'm always happy to speak with you," Giles said. "Are you alright? Is Allie okay?"

"...the towns of Fetterville, Marion and Carthage are also included...weather analysts have reported the current storm system has set off a series of tornadoes along the border towns..."

Buffy glanced at another montage of property damage and muddy rivers as her instinct vibrated in her gut.

"Buffy?"

Buffy let out an apprehensive breath before coming back on line.

"Sorry, yeah, I'm fine, Allie's good. I was calling to see if...anything new is going on."

There was a long pause on the other line as Buffy felt her eyes shifting to the television again.

"...state officials have not yet announced the current death toll but sources indicate the figure to be staggering as the thunderstorm continues through the weekend..."

"Buffy, whatever you might have seen or heard, you do not need to be concerned anymore," Giles stated gently. "You have a new responsibility which takes priority. Please tell me you have not been looking into things."

"I haven't been sniffing around Giles," Buffy replied. "I've just been a little antsy lately with this...bad feeling. Have you been really busy?"

"Yes, but I can assure you we are all working very diligently in keeping the world safe," Giles said.

"I know, I'm just wondering if you're aware of something big...you know back in my day kind of big."

Buffy heard Giles sigh deeply on the other line.

"Buffy, while we do miss you immensely, your job is to take care of Allie now. I have everyone on assignment as we speak."

"But you'll let me know if something big is happening?"

After another long pause, Giles sighed.

"If something big happens, I do not want you to worry," he stressed.

"I HAVE to worry," Buffy moaned. "It's my job as a mom to worry about Allie's safety. Have you by chance heard from De..."

Buffy widened her eyes when she heard a loud ruckus on the other line and then chaotic chatter.

"Oh dear," Giles lamented. "Buffy, I'm very sorry but I have to call you back, we have a situation here that I must tend to."

"What happened?"

"Some of the girls have been hurt," Giles stated hurriedly. "I must go. Give Allie my love. Goodbye Buffy."

Buffy sucked in a deep breath as Giles hung up. As apprehension pealed through her body, she turned to her eyes when Allie trotted down the stairs, letting out a yawn.

"Hi mommy!" Allie roared as she ran into Buffy's arms.

Buffy curled her arms around Allie and hugged her tightly.

"Hi sweetie."

Allie wiggled out of Buffy's hold and looked up at her with wide intensely curious eyes. She drew her little hand to Buffy's cheek and cupped it.

"It's okay mommy, I love you," Allie cooed.

Allie pursued her lips together and kissed Buffy on the cheek. Buffy burst with tears of joy, pulling Allie back in her arms.

"Oh Allie, I love you too. You are the sweetest little girl in the whole world."

Allie giggled as Buffy eyed the news report. Buffy picked Allie up in her arms and snapped the television off

"Let's eat some breakfast, okay?"

_Later that evening_:

Sam and Dean raised their beer glasses in a toast, exchanging mournful looks.

"To Ellen and Jo," Dean said softly.

Sam nodded and took a small sip while Dean guzzled his until the glass was almost empty.

Sam cocked an eyebrow in concern after Dean polished off his beer and quickly flagged the waitress over.

"You want another?"

Sam glanced at his barely touched beer and shook his head.

"No, I'm good. You okay?"

When the waitress wandered away, Dean stared off blankly, drumming his fingers on the table.

"This whole thing...just blows, you know?"

"Yeah," Sam acknowledged softly.

Sam furrowed his brows as Dean picked up his fresh beer and guzzled it down like a thirsty man in a desert. Dean set down his empty glass and moped.

"I need something stronger, you?"

Sam caught his brother eyeing his full beer glass.

"No Dean, I'm still good."

A few minutes later, Sam glanced at the four empty shot glasses in front of Dean.

"You want to talk about this?" Sam asked.

Dean set down his fifth and shook his head.

"No, not really."

Sam heaved a sigh as he clapped his dad's journal shut.

"Okay well...I'm gonna head back to the motel then."

"Okay, see ya."

Sam watched his brother making quick work of his sixth shot before drawing another sigh.

"See ya," Sam said as he pushed his chair from the table.

Sam collected his jacket and ambled out of the bar.

After a few more drinks, Dean flagged the waitress down, barely noticing the shift change when a different woman tended to him. She was on the early side of forty with dark chestnut hair. Dean passed her a glance, his eyes falling over her trim figure. Her name tag said Claire and her smoky gray eyes sparked with friendliness as she ripped off the tab and set it down in front of him.

"Thanks Claire."

"No problem sugar."

Dean knocked back the few but potent drops of liquor in his glass before digging out his wallet and picking out some bills. Claire strolled back over and glanced at the money he had left.

"You need change?"

"Nope," Dean confirmed with a smile. "Have a good night."

"Thanks. You too."

As he pushed his chair from the table, he blinked in surprise when Claire bent down in front of him. He cocked his head as his eyes admired her taut bottom in a snug pair of jeans.

"You dropped this hon," she said as she straightened and turned toward him.

When his mind lingered over her ass a little longer, he had to shake the image away as she stared at him expectantly.

"Oh how precious. She's adorable – your daughter."

Dean blinked rapidly as Claire clutched a small worn photo in her hand, grinning at him. After he broke from his daze, he took the photo back from Claire.

"Oh yeah, but she's not mine," he sighed.

Dean hastily stuffed the picture in one of his pockets as Claire eyed him curiously.

"Well, she's still adorable."

Claire ambled away as Dean let out a heavy sigh. When he stepped outside the bar, he fished out the photo in his pocket, taking a long glance at it. He brushed a thumb over Allie's picture as painful memories of Ellen and Jo's deaths passed through his mind.

Dean steadied himself as a flurry of all the people he had lost in his life bombarded his mind. He sucked in a long, deep breath as his veins flushed with ice. After a minute, he pivoted toward the parking lot, tucking the picture of Allie in his wallet.

"No, I want that!" Allie shrieked.

Allie clutched a small baby doll and ran away as Buffy reached for it.

"Sweetie, you have a ton of baby dolls, you don't even play with this one anymore."

"But it's mine!"

Buffy heaved a sigh as she kneeled down to be eye level with Allie. Allie protectively hugged the baby doll and pouted.

"I know it's yours, but with the holidays coming up, I thought I'd give these boxes to the less fortunate, to kids who don't have any toys."

Allie stared up at Buffy with wide, sad eyes.

"Why they not have any toys mommy?"

"Well sweetie, there are some kids that just don't have very much, maybe one toy if that and many don't even have enough food to eat or a warm bed to sleep in."

Allie scowled, her eyebrows furrowing in dismay.

"That's not right," Allie cried, shaking her head.

"No, it's not," Buffy replied.

Allie looked at the box of old toys and put the baby doll back inside.

"Okay, I want to put that in there," she said.

Allie grinned up at Buffy.

"I'll get more!"

Buffy shined a deep smile of pride as Allie sifted through more of her toys. Janie came down stairs with a box in her arms, setting it on the floor beside the couch. Buffy plucked out a light pink onesie and beamed a fond smile.

"Oh god, I can't believe Allie was this small," she cried.

Janie giggled as Buffy sorted through all the onesies in the box, holding a few up to admire.

"She's grown up so fast," Buffy moaned. "It feels like yesterday I was holding in my arms and trying to guess what she wanted when she cried."

Buffy and Janie sputtered with laughs as they watched Allie pulling toys out of a plastic bin.

"She's a sweet, amazing little girl Buffy, you should feel proud."

"I am, I really am."

Buffy drew a loving smile at Allie before folding a few onesies. Janie fished up a pile and began helping to fold.

"Are you sure you want to give these all away?"

"Yeah, Allie can't wear them anymore and they just take up space in my closet, I thought I'd give them to people who can use them."

"It's very nice of you, but...don't you think you might want to keep these in case, you know, you want to have another one?"

Buffy paused in her folding and took in Janie's wide grin.

"Uh, I'm kind of lacking a big element to make that happen," she stated. "Besides, I didn't exactly plan to have Allie but I don't regret it. I just prefer to go the more traditional route if I have the miraculous circumstance of having a lasting relationship with a decent guy."

Janie chuckled as Buffy dropped a neatly folded onesie into a separate stack.

"Do you?" Buffy asked, cocking an eyebrow. "You always talk about how you've sworn off of men."

Janie shrugged as she added to the folded stack.

"If the right one comes along and manages to convince me that all men are not selfish J-E-R-Ks, who knows? I mean, Carly's been bugging me a lot lately about having a little sister."

"Oh, that's got to be a fun conversation," Buffy snorted with a smile.

"Yeah, let's not even go there, I've had enough guilt over dodging questions about where her daddy is."

Buffy gulped as she checked on Allie as her little feet dangled outside another large toy bin.

"Uh yeah, I'm not loving that conversation either," she moaned softly. "Or the guilt."

Allie darted over with a puzzle box, handing it to Buffy.

"Mommy, I want to give that to the little kids," she said.

"Aw baby, that is so sweet of you. Will you put it in that box over there?"

"Uh huh."

Allie ran over to the box and put her toy inside. Buffy sniffled as tears of joy sprung in her eyes.

"I'm all grown up mommy!"

Buffy moped as Allie ran back to her play area and began brushing the hair on a Barbie doll. Buffy picked up a onesie with a large pink heart on it and then glanced at Allie. She sniffled softly, her eyes thickening with more tears as her mouth formed a heavy mope.

"Oh Buffy, are you okay?"

"Can I keep her until she's fifty?"

Janie chuckled as she drew a supportive arm around Buffy.

"I wish," Janie replied.

Allie danced around the living room, perching in front of Buffy.

"Mommy, I love you!"

Buffy threw her arms around Allie, squeezing her tightly.

"Oh Allie, I love you too," she cried. "You don't want to go to college and leave mommy, do you?"

Allie crinkled her nose in wonder, shaking her head.

"Good," Buffy said. "It's settled then, you stay here with mommy forever, okay?"

"Okay," Allie cooed.

Janie giggled at Buffy's immense grin of satisfaction as Allie skipped back to her play area. She picked up her fluffy kitten and ran over to Janie, grinning wide.

"This is my kitty cat," Allie said.

"Oh, it's adorable Allie," Janie replied.

"And YOU are MY precious Allie Cat," Buffy said, kissing Allie's cheeks.

"Allie Cat, that's so cute," Janie said. "I don't think I've heard you call her that before."

"Oh, yeah, I usually don't, it's kind of a special nickname her uncle Dean gave her when she was born, and how she got her name actually."

"I'm Allie Cat!" Allie roared.

Allie waggled her hips and pursed her lips together.

"Meow! Meow! I'm Allie cat!"

Buffy giggled as Allie settled back into her play station, clutching her kitten under her arm.

"You know, I met Dean the last time he stopped in," Janie said with a smile. "He's very...friendly."

Buffy glanced at Janie in surprise before shading with a rueful expression.

"Oh, um, should I apologize?' she asked. "You know he um, he tends to open his mouth and say things without thinking."

Janie snickered and shook her head.

"Yeah, I noticed."

Buffy winced with remorse.

"Oh, oh god Janie, I'm sorry if he offended you, he did that to me the first time we met. It's kind of a bad habit of his. You know some guys just see a pretty girl and they go on this auto pilot, spilling cheesy pick up lines left and right."

"It's okay, I didn't mind it because honestly girl, you really underplayed him in the looks department."

"I did?"

"Yeah, in fact, I don't believe you even mentioned where he scaled."

"Um, I think I mentioned he was - charming."

"Yeah he was."

As Janie chuckled, Buffy stared at her in wonder.

"Oh um, so you um, you thought he was...handsome?"

Janie crooked an eyebrow and snickered.

"Hello, any woman who has EYES would think he's handsome! And even if you didn't, you'd pick up the scent of all that gorgeousness wrapped in a fine package and a 'come hither' curl in his smile. I mean, didn't you?"

"I was pretty pregnant at the time he hit on me, so I'd say no."

Janie shot Buffy a dubious look.

"Oh come on, even before he opened his mouth and said something stupid?"

"Mmm, see, there wasn't a time when he didn't," Buffy said with a silly smile. "He opened up with a line while I was...digging in the fridge. Anyway, I hope he didn't come on too strong."

Janie waved a hand in dismiss and shook her head.

"Nah, it was kind of nice actually. It's been a long time since I got the double eye rake," she said with a grin.

Buffy widened her eyes and chuckled.

"I so pictured his face when you said that," she snorted. "He doesn't really do subtle, does he?"

Buffy chuckled again as she pushed another folded stack aside.

"Well, if I had met him before I had Carly I would have gotten in a lot of trouble with a guy like that. You are one lucky woman."

Buffy gulped when Janie mocked a jealous look and lightly nudged her in the arm.

"Uh what do you mean by that?"

"Steven mentioned that you two were...canoodling."

"What? Canoo...no, no...that was um...that whole thing was...a ploy to get Steve off my back."

"Really? Oh."

Buffy nodded as she frowned with annoyance.

"Yeah, I told you how he can't take a hint?"

"Yeah but I thought he dropped the whole thing awhile ago."

"Not really, I can't believe you two actually have the same DNA," Buffy moaned.

"Well, he's a second cousin from the side of the family I rarely see," Janie said. "Anyway, so you and Dean aren't dating then?"

"No, he was just helping me with the ploy...were you...were you interested in um..."

"No worries hon, he's all yours," Janie said. "You can put the claws away."

Janie chortled as Buffy flooded with color.

"No, no, I didn't mean you couldn't...you...if you wanted to...it's just that he's..."

Growing flustered, Buffy fanned her colored cheeks.

"It's not a bad thing to like someone Buffy," Janie replied. "From what you've told me, it sounds like you two have a good relationship and Allie adores him right?"

"Yeah, she really does and he's good with her, like surprisingly good," Buffy exalted. "Usually Allie is very understanding when her aunts and uncles have to go home after a brief visit but with Dean, she gets really sad and panicky at the thought of him leaving..."

"Aw, but that's sweet that she's got that kind of bond with him."

Buffy sniffed as she felt her eyes springing with moisture again.

"I know, it's really amazing and I'm so grateful that he's been able to stop in and see her even if it is for a couple of hours. For Allie, it's like time doesn't exist because she's having so much fun with him."

"Aw. You said he travels a lot right?"

Buffy nodded as she wiped her eyes.

"Yeah, all the time, his job is very...demanding, but very important."

"So taking time out to see you shows how much he cares."

Buffy felt her cheeks flushing with color when Janie drew a teasing smile.

"Uh, he comes to see Allie," she said.

"He comes to see YOU and Allie," Janie clarified. "Come on Buffy, he managed to convince you to go out with him when you were a breath away from your due date, he stayed with you when you went into labor, delivered Allie and comes around despite having a demanding job. I might be out of the game, but even I can tell he cares. So, you never know, I mean, he's not going to be in that job forever, is he? Maybe he'll pop up on your doorstep at that point wanting to settle some roots. "

Buffy looked off as her mind floated into the past. She thought back to Dean's last visit, hearing the deep sadness in his tone resonating in her ears right then and there. She wondered why he was so pessimistic about getting out of hunting. Her heart trembled with compassion as she lingered over his departing words:

_I just...can't_.

"Buffy?"

Buffy blinked rapidly as her mind snapped from her daze. She drew her sights to Janie and flashed an apologetic expression.

"Uh, sorry, somehow he doesn't really strike me as the type," she said. "And it's not like I'm not actively searching for a dad for Allie. But, I do hope he'll get a break from his job, he really deserves it."

Buffy drew a fond smile as Janie passed her an odd look.

"What?"

"Oh nothing," Janie said dismissively. "It's just funny, I never thought pest control was such a demanding field, you know? I mean, I've lived here almost eight years and I've only had one termite problem and a few mice in the basement since then."

"Oh um, well, you'd be amazed at some of the scary things that he's found in...dark houses and basements."

Janie widened her eyes incredulously.

"Really? Like what? Giant sewer alligators?"

Buffy gulped nervously as Janie snickered.

"I don't know Buffy, are you sure he's really in pest control?"

"Mommy! These are for the kids!"

Buffy sighed in relief as Allie interrupted the awkward conversation. She glanced at the little box of animal crackers and container of macaroni and cheese in Allie's hands.

"They should have food, it's not right they can't eat!" Allie said.

Buffy gasped in awe as she collected the boxes from Allie.

"Oh, no, it's not," Buffy said. "We'll put a box of food together to give to the kids, okay?"

Allie grinned and nodded.

"Okay! I'll get more!"

Buffy glowed with maternal affection as she embraced Allie.

"Oh sweetie, I am so proud of you."

Allie grinned as Buffy kissed the top of her head.

_A few days before Christmas_:

"I want to do it mommy!"

Buffy drew a proud smile as she strolled with Allie to the mailbox at the end of the walk.

"Okay sweetie."

Allie licked her lips as she yanked on the latch of the red mailbox, pulling it open. She pushed off her toes and reached inside, taking out the stack of mail.

"Here's the mail mommy."

Buffy beamed with more pride as she collected the stack from Allie.

"You're growing up too quickly," Buffy moaned. "I don't like it."

Allie stared at the stack of letters as she walked back toward the house with Buffy.

"What'd we get mommy? What'd we get?"

Buffy giggled as she began to sort through the mail.

"Well, let's see...bill, bill, bill..."

Allie scowled and shook her head.

"I don't like bills."

Buffy blinked in awe before bursting with laughter.

"Oh, you're repeating what mommy's said about bills, huh?"

Allie nodded as she skipped up the porch steps. Buffy glanced at a festive red and green envelope and tore it open as she footed the door shut.

"Aw, sweetie, you got a Christmas card from Uncle Dean. It has a little message for you."

Allie bounced excitedly as Buffy crouched down and showed her the card.

"Read it! Read it! Please mommy!"

"Okay, it says, 'Merry Christmas Allie Cat, I hope it's a good one'."

"I miss Uncle Dean," Allie moped. "When he coming back mommy?"

Buffy heaved a breath as Allie drew a deep pout. She kissed Allie on the forehead and pushed aside a few dark blonde strands from her face.

"I'm not sure," Buffy said gently. "He's really busy with work but that doesn't mean he doesn't care about you, because he does, he cares about you a lot kiddo."

Buffy opened up a folded piece of paper tucked inside the envelope and smiled at the contents.

"Oh," Buffy gasped. "See how much he cares? Look what he gave you for Christmas."

Allie widened her eyes and began bouncing up and down in delight.

"Money! Money!"

"Yeah, you got another Mr. Franklin from your Uncle Dean," Buffy acknowledged.

Allie clutched the bill in her hands and grinned as she skipped up the stairs after Buffy.

"What do you want to buy with it Allie?"

"Um, a pony!"

Buffy widened her eyes as she took the money and tucked it in her pocket.

"You want to buy a pony? Wow, well where would we keep a pony?"

"Um in my room?"

"Oh, ponies get big sweetie, too big for your room."

Allie scratched her head and furrowed her brows.

"Um, your room?"

Buffy laughed heartily as she soaked in Allie's endearing expression.

"Well, mommy's never really had a pet so we should probably start out a little smaller with like a kitten or a puppy."

"Puppy! Puppy! I want a puppy!" Allie squealed.

"I'll give it some thought," Buffy said. "Come on sweetie, we need to get ready for the play."

Meanwhile in Massachusetts:

Dean snorted in amusement as he briefly watched Sam sipping down his health shake. As he chomped down on his bacon burger, a heavy metal ballad began playing through the fast food restaurant speakers. He blinked rapidly when a little blonde girl around three years old walked in with her mom and dad. The little girl bounced excitedly as she pointed to a toy display offered in the kids' meal. After a few minutes, the dad carried a food tray to a table, handing the kids meal to his daughter. The little girl squealed and smiled as she began eating some chicken nuggets.

"_She's got a smile that it seems to me__  
__Reminds me of childhood memories__  
__Where everything__  
__Was as fresh as the bright blue sky__..."_

Dean discreetly watched the family enjoying their meal, taking in the sight of the little girl's bright smile as she crinkled her nose and giggled, very reminiscent of another child he knew. As he drifted into a haze, his mind flashed with various images the longer he observed the little girl with her family.

"_Now and then when I see her face__  
__She takes me away to that special place...__  
__And if I stare too long__  
__I'd probably break down and cry__...__  
Woah, woah woah, __sweet child o' mine__..."_

"Dean."

Dean let out a breath as a pair of hazel eyes sparked brightly through the fog in his mind.

"Dean."

Dean suddenly burst out of his haze when he felt a light tap on his shoulder. He blinked rapidly as his mind gripped reality, taking in Sam's curious frown.

"You okay?"

"Uh, yeah, yeah, I was just...thinking...you know, about Donna...I mean, take out the ghost haunting, and she uh...she looked great huh?"

Sam crooked an eyebrow when he detected a flare of interest in his brother's eyes.

"You're kidding me," Sam groaned.

"What?"

"Dude, come on, I know you had a thing for her back then but now? Are you serious?"

Sam frowned with disbelief as Dean widened his eyes in realization.

"Uh do I? Oh no, no man, that'd be way too weird."

Dean chuckled awkwardly for a second.

"I just meant - she's...set herself up pretty well, with the whole marriage and kid thing you know? Despite a Poltergeist wrecking havoc in their home, they're all roughing it out – together - as a family."

Sam nodded in acknowledgment as Dean tapped on the table, briefly glancing at the family of three.

"Have you ever thought about wanting a set up like that? You know, a woman, a rug rat, the whole white picket fence kind of thing?"

Dean discreetly held his breath as Sam heaved a sigh.

"I used to," Sam admitted. "But not really now, I mean, I'm realistic about the way our lives are, you know?"

Sam finished his shake and pushed it aside as Dean veiled his disappointment, looking off for a moment.

"Realistic, yeah," Dean said softly. "Okay, so...you find something?"

"Well, Donna's house has a history..."

Several months later:

Sam gathered his FBI suit and shuffled toward the bathroom, throwing a glance over his shoulder when he heard a series of commercial promotions as Dean clicked through the channels.

"...show that someone special how much you care with the Bright Hearts Bouquet, thirty nine-ninety nine while supplies last..."

"...give the gift of love from Jay's Fine Jewelers..."

"...Horton's Chocolate Factory, the largest chain of delectable treats in the country, don't forget your Valentine's box on special..."

Sam blinked in surprise, expecting some visible excitement from his brother about the day. Instead, Dean snapped passed the commercials until he stopped on a John Wayne movie in progress.

Sam tucked the door shut as Dean sat down on the edge of the bed, zoning out as a commercial break interrupted the program on TV. After staring off for awhile, his mind drifted on a frequent curiosity. He heaved a deep sigh of surrender as he picked up the laptop, spying a glance at the bathroom door before he logged onto the web.

Dean perused the website as a fancy slideshow played over the main page. He glanced at a message announcing an update to the photo gallery and let his curiosity roam, clicking on the tab. The first set of photos were of Allie in a long red wig wearing a greenish blue dress that had a small mermaid tail on the back. He let out a soft chuckle at her endearing expression as she clutched a stuffed crab in one hand and a small plastic pumpkin in the other. After perusing over a few more photos from Halloween, he noticed the folder with his name had two new messages.

Dean glanced at the bathroom door again before opening the first message in his folder.

On the screen, Allie and Buffy wore matching fluffy white sweaters. Allie had a pair of reindeer antlers on her head while Buffy had a Santa hat on.

"Okay sweetie, go ahead," Buffy prompted.

Allie leaned forward and waved.

"Merry Christmas! Love Allie and mommy!"

Buffy sputtered with a giggle as the camera faded out. Dean opened up the second message that was sent the previous night. When the screen faded in, he saw Allie sitting in a small pink chair by herself. Off camera, he heard Buffy prompting Allie.

"Who'd you make that one for sweetie?"

Allie picked up a red heart from her lap and waved it at the camera screen.

"Uncle Dean!"

Allie ran closer to the camera and held up the red heart dressed with glitter.

"I made this for you! It's a heart!" she squealed. "For Valentine's day!"

"What do you say on Valentine's Day?"

Allie hugged the red paper heart.

"Happy Valentine's Day Uncle Dean," she cooed. "I love you!"

Dean felt his eyes glistening with moisture and a ray of warmth shimmering through his black heart as Buffy appeared on screen, plucking a kiss on top of Allie's head. Dean hit the pause button on the streaming video, etching the joy on Buffy and Allie's faces into his mind.

When he heard the door of the bathroom clicking, Dean hastily wiped his eyes and clicked off the web. He collapsed the laptop just as Sam stepped out of the bathroom, fussing with his tie.

"Ready to go?" Sam asked.

Dean released a deep breath as he clicked the TV off and nodded.

"Yeah," he sighed.

_Later that evening:_

"I can handle all of this so it's okay if you want to go," Sam said casually.

Dean frowned with wonder.

"Uh, what, where is it I'm going?"

Sam blinked rapidly in surprise.

"Did you actually forget that it's Valentine's Day?" he asked. "It's your favorite night to lurk the bars. You'd go on and on about it being Unattached..."

"Drifter's Christmas."

"Okay, so, go."

Dean pushed his chair from the table and went to the fridge, pulling out a beer.

"Yeah, you know what, I uh...I don't think so."

Sam shined his disbelief.

"You're passing on going to a bar full of sad, single women?"

Dean popped the top off his beer bottle and shrugged.

"Yeah, I guess I am."

Sam narrowed his eyes as Dean stared off. When he felt the weight of a stare, Dean pulled his eyes back to Sam.

"What's that look for?"

"It's just...when you throw a lion a piece of meat and he bats it away, something's going on."

Dean scoffed as he took his seat at the table.

"Dude, nothing is going on, let's just work, okay?"

_Much later:_

Dean wandered aimlessly through the junkyard, pausing briefly by a rusted car. He raised his beer bottle to his mouth but dropped his hand to his side, not in the mood to drink it.

He looked up and desperately searched the black sky.

"Please, if you're out there, if you even care...you have to help me..." he beseeched softly. "I can't do this on my own...I can't."

For a long minute he searched the black sky for some form of answer, a sign, a glimmer of hope that this dark storm he had been suffocating in his whole life was all worth something. But as the sky remained devoid of any freak lightning and the air ceased of any odd sounds, he heaved a deep sigh of disappointment. As tears streamed down his cheeks, he rolled his eyes shut, feeling the dark haze enveloping his train of thoughts. Was Famine right? Was he dead inside? Was he blackened to the core? Maybe he had a point. He hadn't come back from Hell completely whole – that much he truly believed. That same incessant frost blew through the ache in his soul as he drifted deeper into an abyss of hopelessness, of complete defeat and surrender.

But then suddenly, through the darkness, through the frost, through all the crud clogging every part of his mind, he saw a spark – two gleaming hazel eyes flickering strong and brightly, like a beacon slicing through the heavy fog clouding dark waters, leading ships to shore.

The cold tremors attacking his heart began to cease when his mind flooded with a succession of images and sounds. The first image was of a tuft of dark blonde hair peeking out of a blanket, those big, wondrous green eyes staring up at him; he heard infectious giggles of innocence, followed by that endearing toothy grin, then more giggles, a flash of different memories of the little Summers washed away the cold sting in his heart. He saw that symbol of innocence spinning around by his hand, squealing with glee, smiling up at him, beaming bolts of warmth through his system.

Dean sucked in a breath as more tears welled in his eyes. He had vowed to protect that kid, to keep fighting the evils in the world, but as the war against Lucifer dragged on without success, as more of his friends and allies sacrificed their lives to save his and Sam's, as his chances of stopping the end of the world without succumbing to his destiny seemed more futile by the day, he felt himself crawling back into the abyss, the last bead of hope cracking away.

He had let down the world and millions of people were going to die in a handful of months, including that precious picture of innocence, Allie Summers. Her mother was a living legend, a pillar of strength and optimism, despite all the evil she had faced in her time as the Slayer, she got the rewards she deserved, a real, solid life with a fantastic kid but he had shortened both of their lives by bringing the inevitable end.

Dean dropped his eyes to the ground and shook his head in shame. The air was calm and the night sky was still. He inhaled a shaky breath and pivoted back toward the house when he heard a soft and familiar voice echoing in his ears, accompanied by the face of hope and strength.

"_No matter how bad things seem, there's always hope"_

Dean watched the memory replay in his mind, absorbing the compassion and concern on her face. His mind drifted even further into the past, to the time of his first meeting with Buffy, when a very poignant conversation had come up while he was holed away at her house.

"_What?"_

_Buffy shaded with an apologetic look and giggled._

"_Sorry, I didn't mean to stare, it's just...sometimes I get this feeling from you that you're...conflicted. I don't mean to pry or anything, so all I'll say is...when your mind is thick with a haze and you feel like no matter which way you turn, like you'll never find your way out, just remember, there always is, nothing is ever set in stone. I mean, look at me, I surpassed all the prophecies about my line and here I am."_

_Dean nodded in acknowledgment, displaying an admirable smile._

"_Yeah, you beat all the odds against you and for that...you deserve to be where you are and have what you're about to have."_

"_You'll have it to," Buffy declared with an encouraging expression._

_Dean fell out of his smile and shook his head._

"_Yeah, uh, not so much," he muttered._

_Buffy studied him for a moment before she got up from her seat at the table. _

"_Remember what I said, there's always a way out."_

Dean blinked several times in surprise, when in his daze he had drifted to the trunk of his car.

He let out a deep breath as he flipped the trunk open and began rummaging through it until he found the wrinkled manila envelope he had stuffed in a bag. For several minutes, he stared at the phone number scrawled in crayon, immensely hesitant to involve any of the former Slayer's colleagues in this mess but the images of Buffy and Allie's happy, peaceful life weighed heavily upon him. He let out another deep breath before he took out his phone and punched in the number.

After two rings, the other line picked up and he heard a weary voice answer the phone.

"Hello?"

"Uh, hey, is this Rupert Giles?"

"Yes, speaking."

"Oh good and sorry about the time, I know it's late. My name's Dean, I uh, I got your number from…."

"Buffy, yes, I spoke with her recently and she let me know she passed along my information to you in the event you needed anything," Giles stated. "What can I do for you Mr. Winchester?"

"Well, I've sort of got a situation going on and I really didn't want to get you involved but….things have gotten a bit hairy the past few weeks and I...I need some help," Dean said shakily.

"Yes, of course, I would be happy to assist you in any way I can," Giles replied. "I have my pen at the ready if you wish to begin to explain your situation to me."

"Actually, it's a really long story. Do you think we can meet up?"

"Yes, yes, shall I travel to you or would you like to come here to my residence in Cleveland?"

"I can come to you if that's okay," Dean replied.

"Yes, when shall I expect you?"

"I'll head out first thing tomorrow, it should take me about ten hours or so."

"Alright, I will clear my schedule," Giles stated. "Here is my address."

Dean put the address to memory as Giles continued.

"I look forward to meeting you Mr. Winchester. Until then."

"Yeah and again, sorry about calling so late."

"It's quite alright," Giles replied. "Buffy has spoken very highly of you over the years so it's a pleasure for me to help."

"Thanks I'll see you sometime tomorrow."

"Have a good evening."

"You too."

Early the next morning, as the sun peeked over the horizon, Dean packed up his bag and set it on the table. He heard a dispatch radio coming from one of the backrooms but he couldn't hear any screaming or noise from the panic room downstairs. He scribbled a quick note to Bobby before pivoting toward the front door.

"Dean."

Dean jumped in startle when he heard Sam's voice cutting through the silence. When he swung around, he saw his brother's ashen, exhausted face as he lingered in the living room doorway.

"Hey, who let you out?"

"Bobby, did."

"Yeah? So what, no more cravings?"

"No," Sam said gratefully. "It was a long night but it's out of my system for now."

"Oh. Well..."

Sam noticed Dean's bag on the table.

"Going somewhere?"

"Uh, yeah, I'll be back later."

Sam stepped into the living room and walked to the table. He picked up the note Dean had left for Bobby.

"Who are you meeting with?"

Dean shaded with annoyance as he picked up his bag.

"Just...somebody. I'll swing by here when I'm done."

"Well, give me a sec to pack my things and I'll go with you."

Dean shook his head and began digging his fingers into the back of his neck.

"That's okay, you don't need to be there for this, I can go and come back while you...you get all of that bloodlust out of your system."

Sam frowned with resentment as he picked up on his brother's evasive tone.

"I just told you it's out of my system," he groaned.

"For the time being," Dean clarified.

Sam sighed in exasperation.

"Dean, I've been through this before, if I thought they'd come back I wouldn't have asked Bobby to let me out."

"Why would he let you out?" 

"He said...he'd shoot me if I was lying."

"That sounds like Bobby."

"So I'm good, now let's get back to the job, Lucifer is out there and the longer we're here the further he gets away."

Dean shaded with reluctance as Sam plucked up his bag from a chair.

"Look Sam. I think you should sit this one out considering what you're coming off of. So let me just take care of this one thing and then I'll come back to get you when you're feeling better."

Sam stopped packing and frowned.

"I feel fine," he groused. "What's the big deal with me going with you anyway? Are you really meeting someone or are you going off hunting without me?"

"I'm not going on a hunt."

Sam studied his brother closely.

"Okay, then where are you going? Why all the secrecy? What happened to starting over? Working as a team again?"

Dean absorbed his brother's glare before glancing at his watch.

"I gotta get going," he muttered.

"Okay, I'm ready, let's go then."

"Sam," Dean said in protest.

"Are we a team again or not Dean?"

After a tense moment of silence, Dean heaved a sigh and then fished out his keys.

"Alright, alright, let's go," he grunted. "If you have to pee, do it now cuz I'm not stopping."

Once they were on the highway, Sam observed his brothers white knuckling the steering wheel, his foot heavy on the gas pedal.

"So where are we going?"

"Uh, Cleveland."

"Cleveland. And who are we meeting with?"

"Well, I'm meeting with someone, you can...you can hang out at the library or something until I'm done."

Sam narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Dean.

"Dean," Sam said sharply. "Trust goes both ways."

Dean absorbed Sam's glaring eyes and heaved a sigh.

"Okay, okay," he surrendered. "We're going to meet a potential...resource."

Sam hung a heavy look of exasperation over his brother. Dean heaved another deep sigh before loosening his grip on the steering wheel.

"His name is Rupert Giles, okay? He's..."

"Buffy's former Watcher," Sam finished.

Dean shined his surprise as Sam settled back in his seat.

"You know him?"

"We've met, yeah," Sam acknowledged.

Dean raised an eyebrow and glared deeply at Sam.

"Uh huh," he grunted. "And when exactly did you meet him?"

"Awhile back, when I was searching for ways to get you out of your deal," Sam imparted.

Dean mulled over this revelation, rapping his fingers on the steering wheel as lines of annoyance tugged around his eyes.

"Why the hell didn't you tell me this before? And why did you have to drag him into it huh?"

"Because Dean, I was trying to save you," Sam spat. "I explored every option there was, researched tons of websites, looked into everything. I stumbled on a page about the lore of the Slayers and it turned out to be legitimate source."

"You mean the Slayer's page," Dean corrected.

"No, Slayers," Sam clarified. "Buffy wasn't the last one."

"Say what? How is that even possible, I thought it was one in every..."

"Generation, yeah," Sam interjected. "But in Buffy's case, she was a loophole. She faced this really old master vampire back in high school – and she died for a few minutes. She didn't tell you this story?"

Dean shifted his eyes from the road to see Sam studying him curiously.

"Uh no, we didn't have story hour back in Cicero, you know, I was looking out for evil bloodsucking children that wanted to have her for dinner."

Sam frowned in wonder before shaking it off.

"Well, anyway, her brief death caused another Slayer to be called..."

After Sam related the details of the Slayer line, Dean absorbed his amazement before regarding the road.

"For having spent so much time holed away in her house, I'm surprised I know more about Buffy than you do," Sam said.

Dean forced his shoulders to shrug as he made a quick lane change.

"Well, like I said, we didn't 'share and care' Sam, I was working," he declared. "And you still could have told me about this."

"If Giles had found a way out, I would have but since he came up with the same dead ends, I didn't think it was worth bringing up. Why didn't you tell me you knew him?"

"I don't," Dean grunted.

"But you contacted him," Sam stated.

"Yeah so, the Colt didn't put the Devil down, he might know of another way."

"I'm not saying you shouldn't have called Giles, I'm just surprised you've never brought him up until now."

Dean shrugged and let out a sigh.

"Last resort I guess."

Dean removed a white knuckled hand from the steering wheel and drew it the back of his neck, massaging the tense muscles with his fingers.

"So there's an army of Slayers huh?"

"Well, they're called Potentials," Sam explained. "When Buffy faced the First evil, she had all the potentials activated through an ancient weapon, a Scythe that absorbed her power..."

Dean glanced over at Sam and snorted in amusement.

"Aren't you quite the fanboy?"

Sam rolled his eyes as he scrolled through his phone messages.

Several hours later:

Sam shifted in his seat as Dean veered onto a highway interchange.

"Buffy had her baby by now," Sam said.

"Say what?"

Dean glanced at Sam as he drew an apologetic expression.

"I can't believe I didn't think about that," Sam replied. "I mean, with everything going on..."

"Yeah well, evil keeps lurking in the dark whether the former Slayer pops out a kid or not you know?"

"Yeah, I know it's just...with all that she's been through, it's kind of amazing that she's...a mom, huh?"

Dean feigned a casual expression as several highway signs flew by.

"I guess, yeah, I haven't really thought about it," he said. "Got a lot going on these days."

Sam nodded as Dean cranked up the radio filling the awkward silence with a classic rock tune.

Later:

After winding down a long stretch of gravel road, Dean peered through a thick curtain of trees hanging low over the driveway of an old property. Sam narrowed his eyes on a two level Victorian era style building, as Dean pulled the car to a stop.

"This is it?" Sam asked.

"Yeah."

Sam and Dean both peered through the windshield, staring at a large cross beaming down from the roof. After rapping on the door with a heavy brass knocker, a brief moment passed before they heard a faint sound of latches unlocking. When the large door swung open, Dean glanced over Giles, veiling his recognition of the old man he had seen in pictures displayed at Buffy's house.

"Hello," Giles said. "Mr. Winchester, it is nice to see you again."

Sam nodded as Giles drew a prim smile.

"Hey Giles, it's good to see you too," Sam replied. "And please, it's Sam."

Giles nodded at Sam before turning his eyes to Dean.

"Mr. Winchester. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

"Likewise."

"Please come in," Giles replied.

Giles moved from the doorway to allow Sam and Dean inside. The brothers took a long look of the interior, noticing several ancient weapons, statues and relics displayed in cases or hanging on the walls.

"It's like a museum in here," Dean muttered to Sam.

Sam peered into a living area littered with large texts, small weapons and empty pizza boxes. Giles drew a sheepish look as he pulled the sliding doors to the living area shut.

"Please excuse the disarray," he said. "I have not had a chance to...reprimand the girls about cleaning their messes up since I returned from my travels."

"No worries," Dean said. "I know this is short notice so thanks again for seeing me – us."

"It is no problem at all," Giles replied. "Shall we retire to the library for privacy?"

Giles waved a hand toward a doorway as the brothers nodded. Sam and Dean absorbed all the archaic looking décor as they followed Giles down a hallway. Giles pushed another set of sliding doors open and strolled into a huge, multi level library.

Sam and Dean stared up in awe as they passed through the doorway. Along every inch of wall space were bookshelves filled with various texts as a musty scent blanketed the air.

"Woah, when did we go back to school?" Dean snorted.

Dean elbowed Sam and smirked.

"Bring back any fond memories?"

Sam shook his head and groaned softly as Giles drifted toward a small cabinet.

"May I offer you a cup of tea?" Giles asked.

Dean curiously plucked a large book from a shelf and glanced at the strange symbol engraved on the front while Sam stared at an odd relic behind a display case.

"Or something stronger?"

Giles nodded toward a tray of glasses and a few bottles of scotch. Dean shined his interest while Sam batted a hand through the air.

"No, we're fine, thanks," Sam said.

Dean let out a sigh as Sam settled into a chair at a long table in the middle of the library. Giles took another seat at the table while Dean folded onto the edge, looking over the various opened books and printouts.

"Very well, on to pressing business?" Giles asked as he flipped to a blank page in his notebook. "How may I be of assistance?"

Sam and Dean exchanged looks as Giles waited patiently.

"You might not even be able to help," Dean started. "Cuz so far no one has, anyway, we got a major evil at large and we're running out of time and options."

Giles scribbled a brief note before drawing his sights back to Dean.

"I see. Do you have any clues as to what type of demon we are facing?"

"Yeah, he's known as Satan," Dean said bluntly.

Giles scribbled excitedly on his notepad.

"A demon calling itself Satan, fascinating," Giles replied.

"No, no," Dean clarified. "I mean, it's Lucifer, the Devil, the big bad Archangel himself. And he's lookin' to wear my brother to the prom. Not to mention his big bro Michael wants to fill me up with all his angelic goodness."

Giles suddenly paused in the middle of his note taking as the air went still with his bewilderment.

"Sorry, I was under the impression you mainly hunted spirits and corporeal demons?"

"On a normal, boring day, yeah," Dean acknowledged dryly. "On the other days, we get to deal with Angels, Lucifer and...the end of the world."

Giles shaded with dread as he stared at Dean and then Sam, sharing collective looks of gloom.

"The end of the world?"

"Yeah, sorry Giles," Dean said morosely.

Giles shifted his sights rapidly between Dean and Sam.

"Tell me everything, please start from the beginning," Giles urged.

Dean drifted over to the tray of scotch and poured two glasses. He set one down in front of Giles.

"You're gonna need this at some point, trust me."

A long time later:

After Sam and Dean related all the details leading up to Lucifer's release, Giles sat back in his chair, his face thick with astonishment.

"Oh...dear," he gasped.

"I know it's a lot to take in," Dean replied. "I did say it was a long story."

"Yes, indeed."

Giles gulped down his drink before he removed his spectacles and began fervently cleaning them with a small cloth.

"That would explain the excessive amount of supernatural activity the girls and their respective watchers have seen in the past few months," he remarked.

"We figured you were busy," Dean said. "So if you can't spare any time on this, I understand. We don't want to burden you with more work."

Giles shook his head.

"It is not a burden," he stated. "It is my duty to help when asked or needed."

Dean poured himself another drink as he watched Giles sitting in contemplative silence.

"The sixty six seals," Giles intoned. "And this girl Ruby – was an instrumental part of Lilith's plan to free Lucifer?"

Giles studied Sam as he fidgeted in his seat.

"Yeah, she had us all fooled," he lamented.

Dean scoffed as he knocked back some of his drink.

"Not all of us," he snorted derisively.

"And you two are the chosen vessels of Lucifer and his brother Michael. If you were to say yes..." Giles posed.

"We're not," Sam affirmed.

"Yes, we are in agreement that is not an option," Giles replied. "But perhaps I misheard you...you did say you tried to...shoot Lucifer – reputedly one of the most powerful angels in creation?"

Dean frowned in dismay. "Tried, yeah. It's not that I missed, it's that we were deliberately misled by a two faced sonofabitch in a thousand dollar suit."

Giles exuded more confusion as he glanced between the brothers.

"The point is, our biggest lead ended up being a hoax," Sam insisted. "So we could really use some help in finding something new."

Giles settled his glasses back on and pushed his chair from the table, pivoting toward the upper level stacks.

"Yes, we must be diligent in our research when faced with a foe of this magnitude," he acceded. "I believe we can start with the Rosicrucian Manifesto...it is a bit heavy in its passages but I am able to summarize the translations...there are many references to biblical portents that may be of use..."

Giles anxiously rolled a ladder down to one of the bookshelves and climbed up. He gathered several thick texts in his arms before returning to the table.

"Or was there something specific you had in mind in defeating Lucifer? I can ask Willow to look into an anti-possession spell or a magical ward which will bind his powers?" he asked excitedly.

"Is that even possible? To bind Lucifer's powers?" Dean asked.

"We will explore every possibility without prejudice," Giles replied emphatically.

Sam curiously picked through one of the texts on the table as Giles brightened with an enthusiastic expression.

"There are many ancient weapons that have been forged with mystical elements for the specific purpose of striking down creatures of immense power," he said as he flipped a page. "Many of these weapons are as old as time."

"Well, time is something we don't have much of," Dean replied grimly.

"I will look into this right away," Giles declared. "I also have some extensive notes and theological texts in my study."

Giles shuffled into a small side office as Sam and Dean casually perused through the books in the library. After a minute, Giles leaned in the doorway as he delicately flipped to a page in a large, very old book.

"Michael, Lucifer, Rafael and the Garrisons..."

Sam walked over to Giles and looked over his shoulder. He glanced at the elaborate painting of the Angels in battle as Giles ran a finger over the text. Sam frowned at the strange symbols as Giles sifted through the pages.

"Wait, I've seen that symbol...it's a sigil right? Enochian?"

"You are correct. This was a gift from a colleague of mine in Jerusalem. It is a very rare text written entirely in Enochian. I am also able to speak the dialect as well."

"You have an amazing collection Giles," Sam said as he placed a book back on a shelf.

Giles beamed a goofy grin of pride.

"I must say I have spent many years acquiring what you see now," Giles replied. "But sadly, there are still quite a few desirable texts that have remained elusive."

As Sam glanced at a strange amulet encased in glass, Dean strolled into the study and cracked a smile.

"You know Giles, you are like the refined, British POLITE version of Bobby," he said. "He'd probably be SO jealous of some of this stuff you're packing."

Giles displayed his confusion as Sam took notice of an array of pictures on top of a credenza.

"Friend of ours," Dean explained. "You were saying earlier about ancient weapons?"

Giles nodded as his attention steered to an archaic

"Yes, off the top of my head I can reference one in particular known as the Guan Dao..."

Dean cocked his head in wonder when Giles' weighty expression lifted momentarily. Dean shifted his sights to see Sam clutching a framed picture.

"This is Buffy's daughter? Wow," Sam said in awe. "She's beautiful."

Giles beamed with a deep paternal smile as Sam angled the picture frame toward Dean to show him the photo. Dean feigned an innocent look as he glanced at the photo of Buffy holding one year old Allie in her arms.

"Uh yeah, cute kid," he uttered with a smile.

Giles gave Dean a brief odd look before he shined with more paternal pride over the subject matter. He brushed a hand over another framed photo of Allie at her second birthday party, her cake coated mouth grinning wide with glee.

"She is immensely lovely," he acknowledged. "We all miss being able to see her and her mother on a regular basis."

"I'm sure she understands," Sam soothed.

"Yes, she does. Knowing what Buffy has achieved in her life helps us all maintain a staunch determination in the fight against evil," Giles stated firmly. "We think of Allie and we reflect upon all the innocent children in the world who must be kept safe."

Giles raised his head high in confidence as his face knitted with conviction.

"Allie? Well, that's a nice name," Dean remarked.

Giles drew another curious look at Dean as Sam set the picture back down. Dean threw Giles a conspiratorial look out of Sam's sight. Giles absorbed the odd moment, simply nodding in acknowledgment.

"Yes, it is."

"So Buffy's doin' good then? That's awesome," Dean cheered as he rocked back on his heels.

As Sam started to study his brother in curiosity, Dean cleared his throat and hurriedly looked over the assortment of books on Giles' desk.

"Okay so...this Kwan Bow thing...what's it do?" he posed anxiously.

"The Guan Dao," Giles clarified as he sat on the edge of his desk. "We have a contact, an archeologist who procures relics for the Council from time to time. A recent expedition of his uncovered a priceless heirloom believed to have been a wedding gift to the fifth century Emperor of China. The heirloom itself was marvelous piece, spun from actual..."

Dean slowly raised a hand and said gently, "I'm not trying to be rude, but uh, does this 'marvelous' heirloom have something to do with the ancient weapon?"

"No, forgive me for veering off topic," Giles said ruefully. "Among the artifacts he also found a shield bearing the crest of General Guan Yu, who commissioned a smithy to forge a very special weapon..."

A short while later, Giles dropped a large stack of loose leaf papers nearly a foot tall on his desk. Sam and Dean stared in amazement as Giles set a second stack, equally as tall, beside the first.

"That's everything you have on this Green Dragon Blade?" Dean asked incredulously. "You sure you didn't miss anything?"

Giles carefully sifted through one of the stacks as Sam and Dean rifled through the other.

"I have documented as much information and theories as possible," he replied. "However, I'm afraid in my extended travels and usual business here I have fallen behind in some of my research."

Dean picked up a photocopied sketch of the weapon as Sam sifted through the file folder.

"That's a pretty bad ass blade," Dean remarked.

"You have no idea where it is?" Sam asked.

Giles flashed a remorseful look as he adjusted his glasses.

"I was looking into confirming the rumors its last location when I was called away for several months," Giles imparted. "I do believe that Willow was implementing some sort of weapons database shortly before I left. It is very possible she may have more up to date information on the whereabouts of this fauchard. Unfortunately, it is stored on a giant idiot box with a million frivolous buttons."

Sam and Dean eyed Giles as he shaded with genuine disgust. After a second, Giles composed himself, drawing a deep breath.

"You are welcome to take a look if you can deal with such a deplorable, senseless machine," Giles groaned.

A few minutes later, Giles led Sam and Dean through a quaint rose garden until he stopped on a pathway leading to a guest house. Giles rummaged though his coat pockets and took out a set of keys. After unlocking the door, he flipped the light switch on to reveal a large computer console with several flat screen monitors housed inside.

Giles rolled his eyes at the console and flashed a repugnant frown as Sam and Dean strolled into the room. Sam drifted behind a long desk and looked over the fancy computer equipment.

"I will leave you to that thing," Giles huffed. "I will be in my study if you need me."

"Thanks Giles," Sam said as he folded into the seat.

Giles nodded as he sauntered out of the guest house. Dean took a quick look around as Sam explored the desktop. Dean backed up toward the doorway and drummed up an excuse.

"You know what, I forgot something I wanted to ask Giles about," he said. "I'll be back in a bit."

As Sam weighed him with a questionable look, Dean hastily retreated out of the guest house. Dean caught up to Giles near the foot of the rose garden.

"Hey Giles!"

Giles paused near a stone bench as Dean shuffled over.

"I uh, I just wanted to say...thanks for uh...covering for me on the whole Buffy and Allie thing to Sam."

Giles displayed his immense wonder as Dean glanced behind him at the guest house.

"You are...welcome," Giles said. "Although, I am a bit flummoxed as to why your brother is not aware of your relationship with Buffy and Allie since I assumed you two were close. But I am not one to pry."

Dean cocked an eyebrow as his face beaded with apprehension.

"Relationship? I don't think I'd use that word...I just visit on occasion you know and as far as Sam goes well he and I...we're going through some stuff and trying to work it out and this whole thing with the Angels and Lucifer..."

Dean heaved a deep sigh in surrender as he rubbed the back of his neck with a hand.

"My life is just...complicated," he moaned.

Giles nodded and flashed an empathic look.

"I would imagine so," he said. "For anyone who fights the forces of darkness, makes sacrifices and saves the lives of innocent people, is faced with enormous responsibility every day. It is anything but a simple life as much as you wish it were."

Dean shined his awe as Giles glanced up at the moon.

"Yeah, I...how..."

Giles glowed with a fond smile as Dean followed him through the garden.

"Your reflection reminded me of when Buffy used to lament about the burdens of being a teenage girl and the Slayer."

Giles widened his smile as Dean shaded with a horrified look.

"Are you saying I was whining like a chick? Great," he groaned.

"I was merely stating that before the rise of the Potentials, Buffy felt...the immense 'weight of the world' on her shoulders for many years."

"Yeah, I bet. She's...she's an amazing girl. And that kid of hers..."

Dean slipped a fond smile over his face as he sauntered back into the main house.

"What she's got now, it's one in a million you know? And I just don't...I shouldn't have risked visiting her the times I did cuz who knows if a demon or even an Angel was watching me. All I know is that I can't go back there again, I can't let anyone know I've been there – it's just better that way...as far as I'm concerned, I've never met a Slayer, I don't know where she is."

"I understand and admire your desire to protect her. We all are taking measures to keep her and Allie safe."

"And I'm going to say this to you, I appreciate any research or insight you can bring, but I don't want you taking on this fight. This is my mess and if something happened to you because you got dragged into this..."

Dean released another heavy sigh as he bowed his eyes to the ground.

"I love Buffy as if she were my daughter, and my affection for Allie is equally immense," Giles declared. "I appreciate your concern for my well being but Buffy has expressed to me on many occasions how much you mean to her and I made a vow to her that whenever you called upon me to assist you, I would. I am not being dragged into anything. It is my will and my duty to help you in the war against Lucifer."

Dean stewed with hesitation as his voice thickened with dread.

"I don't know Giles. Maybe I shouldn't have even called you; I mean...this is the end of the world we're talking about."

"I realize you're apprehension Mr. Winchester but I can assure you, in my time as a Watcher, I have faced the threat of an apocalypse before. We have succeeded in the past and we shall rise to victory again. You and your brother do not have to face this alone," Giles stressed.

Sam scrolled through a massive archive system for nearly fifteen minutes after browsing through a smaller database. After working in a comfortable silence, he heard a scuffling behind the front door of the guest house. Assuming it was Dean, Sam continued scrolling through the database as the door swung open. When he heard a soft male squeal cracking the air, Sam lifted his eyes from the computer to see Andrew bouncing in the doorway.

"Oh! Young Skywalker! You have returned! Welcome! Welcome!"

"Hey Andrew."

Andrew ran a hand through his hair and straightened his tie before he buzzed around the room tidying up.

"Pardon the mess, I've been working a lot and haven't had a chance to make the space more warm and inviting for unexpected guests."

"That's okay. Sorry about just dropping in," Sam lamented. "Giles said I could take a look at the database you have on here."

"Of course, mi casa su casa!" Andrew roared.

Andrew gazed admirably at Sam before he moved to a small burgundy fridge.

"Would you care for an ice cold Zima?"

Andrew drew a goofy grin as he swung the fridge door open to display the bottles of Zima stacked on the shelf.

"Or how about a delicious Hot Pocket to fill you up?"

Andrew reached up to a small cabinet and pushed the door open to reveal a freezer. He yanked out two boxes and waved them at Sam.

"I've got Meat Supreme and Pepperoni."

As Andrew's goofy grin lingered, Sam shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"Um, no thanks, I'm fine," he said gently.

Andrew glided around the desk to stand behind Sam. He peered over Sam's shoulder and glanced at the monitor.

"Can I help you find something? Willow and I spent nine grueling months implementing this database. It's very complicated for the average man. Not that you're an 'average' man..."

Sam raised an eyebrow as he took Andrew's silly grin.

"Um, I pretty much figured it out but thanks...Andrew..."

Andrew gripped the lapels of his jacket as he widened his grin.

"So strong and independent you are. Hmmmmmm." he chimed in a Yoda like tone.

Sam cocked an eyebrow as he displayed an odd look at Andrew.

"Will you be requiring lodging tonight?" Andrew asked anxiously. "You traveled a long distance and should get some rest. We could have like a sleepover and play Dungeons and Dragons...or watch the Star Wars trilogy! I have them on film REELS you know. It's the only way to watch them. I'll pop some popcorn and throw some comfy pillows on the floor..."

Andrew leaned closer to Sam, spying a glance out the front window.

"Or, if you're into it," he whispered..."I've got some very rare nude footage of the Klingon babes. It's quite...enticing."

Sam fidgeted in his seat as Andrew continued to gaze at him. Sam cleared his throat and drew a polite expression.

"That sounds...interesting but my brother and I aren't staying long. We just came to talk to Giles."

Sam shifted his eyes to the door when he heard it swing open. Dean casually ambled in to see a young guy in a suit hovering very closely over Sam.

Dean cocked an eyebrow and smirked in amusement.

"Uh, am I interrupting something here?"

Sam blinked rapidly as the jovial expression from Andrew's face faded into complete animosity.

"Well, well, if it isn't Mr. Shameless Affection Stealer of all things Goddess," Andrew barked.

Dean took a longer study of the suited guy but after a second, he shined his wonder.

"Uh, sorry? Who are you? I don't believe we've met."

Andrew raised his head high and snorted resentfully, "I am Andrew Wells, Junior Watcher and the Keeper of this Holy Ground! You have some nerve dropping by just to gloat about who I adore most and of which YOU have so viciously, SHAMELESSLY trumped from me after all my years of worship and devotion!"

Andrew waved a scolding finger at Dean, deepening his scowl. Dean stared at Andrew in immense disbelief before his mouth cracked with a dry smile.

"Say what? I'm sorry Andrew but I don't speak angry nerd."

Andrew pounced off his feet and darted toward Dean in a fury.

"Oh, you think you're so 'cool' don't you Dean? Acting all low key and innocent behind a twinkling smile but I know the truth! I know your little secret tactics to trump my affections of the little Goddess! The cards, the unannounced visits and the hundred dollar bills you SHAMELESSLY send! Dawn was right about you! You may be a good looking endless well of charm, but that doesn't give you any right to steal away my mini Buffy! Isn't it enough that Buffy adores you but now you had to go and win over my future senorita of supremo awesomeness too? How dare you! All I've done is love and shower my little Alice with gifts and shoes and perfect little dresses but one mention of YOU and she forgets about ME!"

Andrew poked Dean several times in the shoulder as Sam frowned with curiosity.

"I buy her the most exquisite, RARE toys and dolls for Christmas and her birthday and even her unbirthday but nothing I do makes a lasting impression in her mind..."

Andrew sniffled softly before he hitched his head high.

"Oh no, nothing ever compares to her Uncle Dean," Andrew groused. "One simple pink fluffy kitten or a crisp Benjamin Franklin from YOU and my lovely little Alice can't stop talking about you! It's 'Uncle Dean was here! Uncle Dean played with me! Uncle Dean gave me money!"

Dean widened his eyes as Andrew sniffled again then threw his face in his hands and sobbed. When he felt the heavy weight of a stare, Dean shifted his sights to see Sam staring at him. Dean shifted awkwardly in his stance as Andrew glowered at him with a deep pouty lower lip.

"Uh...that's quite a mouthful of stuff you're saying Andrew...but I think you may have mistaken me for someone else..."

Dean tried to throw a subtle, conspiratorial look at Andrew who simply deepened his pout.

"No...I know you very well Dean Winchester – heralded giver of life to my Alice!"

Sam raised his eyebrow as he studied his brother.

"Dean, what's going on?"

Feeling cornered, Dean swept his eyes from Sam to Andrew and then to the doorway. As Andrew folded his arms and glowed with satisfaction, Dean noticed Sam analyzing him.

"Alright, alright," he grunted. "So maybe I've sent a card or two to the kid as to the other stuff, I can't help it if I make a lasting impression on people."

Dean forced out an awkward laugh as Andrew and Sam stared him down.

"You think just because you're just as virile and beautiful as your brother that you can get away with anything you want?" Andrew roared. "Well, think again – Sam is a galaxy, far, far, away from YOU Dean Winchester! It doesn't matter that you delivered my precious Alice into the world, that doesn't make you the Jedi Master of Uncles!"

Sam shot his eyes to his brother.

"You - delivered...Buffy's baby? When was this?"

Dean opened his mouth to answer as he massaged the back of his neck with his hand. When he couldn't drum up a lie, he simply heaved a sigh as Sam got up from the console.

"Dean? Is it true?"

Sam soaked in the telling flare in his brother's eyes before addressing Andrew.

"Andrew, since my brother has nothing to say, could you tell me when Allie was born?"

Sam blinked rapidly as Andrew's deep glower transitioned quickly into a bright grin.

"My little sparkle of light and grace was born at three-forty two AM on May first."

Sam displayed his shock as he stared at Dean. "May first...the night before your contract was up...so that's where you went...to see Buffy."

Dean looked away, staring at the door as Sam sucked in a breath in disbelief. Andrew rolled his eyes when the attention fell back on Dean.

"Yeah and I've tried so passionately to get her to take to my affectionate name for her but no - she ALWAYS corrects me that her name is Allie."

Andrew shot his nose up and frowned at Dean.

"My goddess named her first born after YOU and that first born, that lovely little princess prefers your name of Allie Cat!"

Andrew crossed his arms and turned his eyes away. Sam glanced at Andrew before regarding his brother.

"Allie Cat?"

"If you seek the truth Young Skywalker, then you shall find your answers here!"

Andrew rushed over to his computer console and clicked on a button. After a faint hum filled the tense silence, a set of hidden panels emerged from the wall, sliding back to reveal a large projection screen.

"I am also a master documentarian," Andrew boasted.

An icon of Alice from Alice in Wonderland flashed brightly as Andrew double clicked on it. Andrew clicked on the mouse and brought up a series of videos.

Dean rolled his eyes shut as Sam watched Allie on screen, opening a present. Andrew's voice boomed off camera.

"It's the Cheshire Cat! Isn't it perfect my little Alice?"

Allie batted at the cat for a brief second before her attention shifted elsewhere.

"Where are you going Alice? Want Uncle Andrew to come with?"

Allie dove into her toy bin as Sam noticed Buffy glowing with maternal love in the corner of her living room.

"Oh my precious, who is your most favorite person in the whole world?"

"Mommy!" Allie roared.

"Oh, yes, yes, the goddess is the supreme, but after mommy, who is your favorite person? Or rather, who is your dearest, most favorite uncle in the whole world?" Andrew prompted.

Allie's dark curly hair fell over her face as she stared up into the camera for a moment. Allie zipped away and returned cradling a picture frame.

"What's that? A picture of your Uncle Andrew?"

Allie shook her head as she displayed the picture into the camera frame.

"That's my Uncle Dean! He was there when I was born!"

Allie shined a bright grin and bounced in her stance. Sam gaped with astonishment at the picture of Dean holding little Allie.

"Oh, yes, I know," Andrew moaned off camera.

Allie sped away and then returned with her pink stuffed kitten.

"Imma Allie Cat! Uncle Dean calls me Allie Cat! Meow! Meow!"

Allie waggled her hips as Sam heard Buffy giggling in the background before the camera abruptly cut out. After another moment to let the sight settle, Sam turned his eyes to Dean and saw the beads of his brother's 'oh shit' expression forming over his face.

Sam drew a livid expression as Dean fidgeted in his stance before backing out toward the doorway.

"Uh, it's late, we should probably hit the road," Dean sputtered.

As he stumbled through the doorway, Dean gave a clipped wave at Andrew.

"See ya Andrew."

Andrew narrowed his eyes and scowled at Dean. 

"Let's go Sam," Dean grunted.

Dean rushed out the door without looking back as Sam drew a polite nod at Andrew.

"Um, sorry for...my brother. Thanks for letting me use your computer Andrew. I got to go. It was nice seeing you again."

Andrew lifted out of his dark expression and smiled up at Sam.

"It was nice to see you too – JonBon."

Andrew winked as he deepened his smile.

"The next time you are in town, you are welcome to stay here and we can have that all nighter!"

"Uh, sounds like...fun," Sam muttered with forced enthusiasm.

Andrew impulsively threw his arms around Sam, clutching him tightly.

"Goodbye Sam," Andrew cried. "Be safe and strong in your quest to fight the dark side of the...Oh goodness...you work out a lot on the road, don't you? I can tell."

Sam gulped with awkwardness when he felt Andrew fervently prodding the muscles in his back.

"Andrew, please stop doing that," Sam said roughly.

Sam gently extricated himself from Andrew's grip and quickly stepped back. Andrew beamed a friendly grin and waved goodbye. After battling with a loss of words, Sam simply cleared his throat and retreated out of the guest house.

After dropping in to say goodbye to Giles, Sam ambled out of the house and heard the Impala's engine grumbling in the driveway. As he climbed into the passenger seat, Dean didn't pass him a look, just letting off the brake to pull out of the driveway.

Sam waited expectantly as Dean flew through intersections until finally veering onto the main highway. After almost two miles without a word uttered from his brother, Sam shaded with resentment.

"Are you going to say anything about this?" he pressed.

"About what?" Dean said, still not paying Sam a look.

"About 'Uncle Dean'...about seeing Buffy the night before you died, about your visits, about why you kept all of this a secret from me," Sam spat bitterly.

Dean snapped his eyes from the road to see Sam glaring at him with offense. After a moment to absorb the hurt in his eyes, Dean scoffed and flashed a surly expression.

"You want to talk about keeping secrets Sam? It's not like I was sneaking around with an evil bitch craving demon blood," he grunted.

Sam shook his head and huffed heavily.

"I was just saying, you make it sound like this was some kind of horrible betrayal," Dean pointed. "This doesn't compare."

Sam shined his disbelief as the Impala sailed forward.

"No Dean, it may not compare but it doesn't take away the fact that you've never told me after all this time about your secret relationship with Buffy."

Dean pulled his eyes to Sam as he shined a mildly dumbfounded look.

"I don't have a 'secret relationship' with her," he dismissed. "I've just...checked in on her from time to time to see how she's been, okay? Is that a crime Sam? Let me point out 'secret relationships' that WERE happening."

Dean glared at Sam with an acknowledging look. Sam absorbed his brother's sour expression before pressing on.

"You've told me everything in the past," Sam recalled. "Some things I never wanted to know but this...I was there when the changelings attacked Buffy too. I could tell that you cared about her then and it's obvious now you still do."

"What are you talking about? Of course I care, it's my job to care," Dean reasoned.

Sam rolled his eyes as Dean stamped down on the gas pedal.

"I know that Buffy is a special person – a special girl," Sam said. "What she's been through, what she's accomplished in her life, it doesn't happen for everyone. And I'm happy for her. She looks like she's doing really well. And her daughter seems very sweet, very smart."

Sam noticed the tense lines around his brother's eyes dissipating as his expression lightened.

"Yeah, she is," Dean acceded softly.

"Good. So what's the big deal? Why couldn't you have said something?"

Dean bellowed with a huge breath as he rapped his fingers against the steering wheel.

"Come on Sam," he sighed. "You know our life. Everywhere we go, demons are gunning for us, the damn Devil and Michael want to slip us on and battle it out. People who have helped us, they just end up buried or...crippled. I don't want Buffy and Allie to become more cannon fodder just for knowing me. You've seen how often demons have used us to get information or whatever..."

Sam balked with mass offense.

"You really think I would put Buffy's life and the life of her child in danger? Dean, no matter what has happened between us, I would never do that. I wouldn't risk their lives."

"Maybe not, but it doesn't really matter," Dean said gloomily. "This kind of crap is never gonna stop happening. So the best thing I can do - is to just stay away and...forget about them."

"And how is that working for you?"

Dean pulled his eyes from the road and took in Sam's doubtful expression.

"Look Sam..."

"I get that you want them to be safe," Sam interjected. "But Buffy has Giles and Andrew and the rest of her friends looking out for her. So what's really going on Dean?"

As Sam deepened his cynical look, Dean heaved a sigh of exasperation.

"Dude, there is nothing going on," he said flatly. "Now can we focus on finding a way to put the Devil down and saving the world?"

After a tense exchange of looks, Sam finally relented with a nod.

"Yeah," he said.

When the silence grew unsettling, Dean cranked the radio up as he blazed down the highway. After a few miles, Sam shifted in his seat, throwing a sidelong glance at his brother.

"So, what do you think of this ancient weapon, the Guan Dao? You think it's real?" he asked.

Dean turned the radio down slightly and shrugged.

"Who knows, but what else have we got right now?"

Sam nodded in recognition as his eyes shifted toward the windshield.

"Well, Giles is pretty thorough, I'm sure he'll find something."

"Yeah, maybe," Dean forced out.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12 Gone But Not Forgotten

**Ch 12 Gone But Not Forgotten**

There are two chapters left in this story. Thanks for reading.

This update mentions "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid", "Dark Side of the Moon". Song lyric is from The Little Mermaid. I own nothing.

"Thanks for going to this class with me Buffy," Janie replied. "I hate trying new ones by myself."

Buffy waved a gloved hand through the air as she walked with Janie to the middle of the classroom.

"No problem, I'm glad you asked," she said. "I've kind of been looking for something different in my usual 'power walk to the park' routine."

As the women in attendance gathered together, a young man dressed in black athletic pants and fitted black tank top strolled through the door. The general chatter immediately ceased as the young man adjusted a headset over his ear, smiling out at the participants.

"Good afternoon everyone," he said in a clipped Australian accent.

Buffy and Janie glanced at each other before staring at the young man with spiky blonde hair and cool blue eyes.

"My name is Rick, I'll be filling in for Connie while she's on maternity leave."

All the women in the room gazed intently at Rick as he weaved to the front of the room and set his bag down.

"Oh my," Janie gasped softly.

Buffy noticed Janie's eyes rolling over Rick, fixating briefly on the detailed tattoo draping his right arm.

"Are there any first time participants here today?"

Buffy gulped when Rick casually looked her way with those intense blue eyes. She realized Janie had her hand meekly raised, so she raised her own. Rick nodded and beamed a friendly smile.

"Welcome ladies," he said. "If I move a little too fast, please feel free to speak up. Don't worry too much about getting all the combinations right, just have fun."

Jane leaned over and whispered to Buffy as Rick cued the music.

"He can move as fast as he wants with me," she said coquettishly.

Buffy had to stamp down hard on her mouth to keep from chuckling out loud.

After a ten minute warm up, Rick moved into very basic kickboxing drills. Buffy found herself having to dial back her deft execution of punch-kick combos as the class was a beginner level. As Rick sputtered off more combo instructions, Buffy noticed several women doing their best to follow along, including Janie.

"Alright, left half of the room on heavy bags, right side will do one on ones," Rick instructed.

Buffy bit back her excitement as she moved to the right side, hopped up on adrenaline. Rick slipped some pads over his hands and skipped down the rows, giving each woman thirty seconds to run drills. Buffy swallowed down another chuckle as every woman smiled goofily at Rick as he stepped in front of them. When he stepped in front of Buffy, she fervently raised her gloves and swung hard, not as hard as she would have in her Slayer days but enough to show she had been paying attention to more than just the instructor's good looks. As a 'boom' sound banked off the pads, Buffy felt the lightning snapping under her toes, hitting the pads with more vigor. When she made Rick stumble off balance, she veiled her joyous smile.

"Excellent!" Rick said. "You're a natural."

Rick passed her an encouraging smile before moving in front of Janie.

Forty minutes later, after the class ended, the women gradually dispersed, some bashful, some bold, but every single one said departing words to Rick as he set equipment away. Buffy and Janie tossed their gloves into a basket as the classroom emptied out.

"I haven't sweat that much since...well, since I made Carly," Janie remarked with a grin.

Buffy snickered as she batted her face with a towel. As they strolled toward the exit, a few ladies still lingered inside the classroom. Rick glanced at Buffy and Janie and smiled.

"Did you like the class ladies?"

Feeling hypnotized by those cool blue eyes, Buffy and Janie both nodded in unison. Rick directed his attention to Buffy, drawing a cordial smile.

"You've never taken kickboxing before?"

"Uh, no, not really," Buffy replied. "It sounded like fun so..."

"Well, you have very natural form and a lot of power behind your punches," he said. "Very impressive for a beginner."

"Oh, thanks."

Buffy scooted off through the door, not really wanting to divulge just how much experience she had. As the cool breeze fanned her flushed face, Janie burst into a giggle.

"Well, someone likes you," Janie said. "Bitch."

Buffy widened her eyes at hearing that last word but after taking in Janie's silly grin, she ended up laughing.

"I know I was half assing it but let me tell you, I haven't been so eager to please a guy in awhile," Janie said with a smirk. "I mean WOW."

After Buffy shrugged nonchalantly, Janie widened her eyes in disbelief.

"Come on Buffy, seriously? You can't tell me you didn't find Outback Rick attractive? You are still a woman, right?" Janie said with a silly smile.

As Janie hooked her with a gaze, Buffy felt a rush of color in her cheeks.

"Uh….." she said with an awkward expression. "He wasn't awful looking."

As more color flooded her cheeks, Janie sputtered with a laugh.

"You know, it's not a bad thing to just look," Janie said.

"No, I suppose not."

After passing through the courtyard of the community center, Buffy noticed the daycare children playing under a blanket of trees. Allie was involved in a game of tag, chasing a four year old girl across the grassy lawn while Carly was more interested in drawing on a chalkboard.

"Allie, sweetie, it's time to go."

Allie squealed as she tagged the girl before running off to Buffy.

"I tagged!" she said.

"I saw!" Buffy said. "You learn so many new games huh?"

"Uh huh, I love to play games! I love to PLAY!"

"We can play some more when we get home."

"Can Carly come over to play?"

Buffy eyed Janie as they collected their girls.

"We can't," Janie sighed. "I've got to get her to an appointment and then we're having dinner at my parents. But tomorrow?"

Buffy propped open the backseat door of her car and nodded.

"Yeah, it's just you and me today Allie."

"What about Hailey mommy? Can she come and play?"

Buffy exaggerated a hurt look as she strapped Allie into her carseat.

"What, you don't want to play with mommy anymore?"

Allie shook her head and smiled. "No."

"What? Oh I'm so sad to hear that, I'm gonna tickle you!"

Allie squealed and shook her head.

"No! No tickles!"

Buffy waggled her fingers and tickled Allie fervently in the tummy. Allie shrieked joyfully as Buffy ended her tickling attack, lightly tugging on one of her long pigtails.

"Feel like a haircut today?" Buffy asked hopefully.

Allie scowled deeply and shook her head.

"Okay," Buffy sighed. "I should have named you Rapunzel."

Allie widened her eyes and nodded.

"I wanna be Rapunzel!"

"I thought you wanted to be Ariel."

"No, I wanna be Rapunzel! Imma have long hair and throw it down so prince save me from the bad mommy!"

Buffy let out a laugh as she started the car and glanced in the rear view mirror.

"Yeah, that's what she does, huh?" she said. "Well, you're my little girl so you won't need a boy or a prince to save you or keep you safe from bad people, you've got me."

Meanwhile:

Dean glanced at Sam as he ambled through the front door of Bobby's house. Sam nodded at him as he got back on the phone.

"I understand," Dean said. "Thanks for trying…..no, you really don't have to Giles, I told you before, just throw it our way and we'll take care of it…...I know, I appreciate it but you've got your hands full already and I…"

After a long moment, Dean bellowed a sigh, drawing a hand to the back of his neck to massage the tense muscles.

"Okay, fine," he sighed. "Just let me know. Thanks. Bye."

Dean hung up and stuffed the phone away as Sam leaned against the Impala.

"How's Bobby?"

"Chipper, as usual," Sam said dryly.

"Yeah, I can imagine. Having to put your wife down a second time can't be a cake walk."

After a moment to let the events of the previous night settle in, Sam drifted back onto his main curiosity.

"So, did Giles have any news?"

"Yes and no," Dean said succinctly.

Sam crooked an eyebrow as he waited expectantly for Dean to elaborate.

"Just more bad news," Dean replied. "Giles got a lock on the Green Dragon Blade."

Sam frowned curiously at his brother's grim expression.

"So how is that bad news?" he asked.

"Well, he flew out to pick it up, only, it wasn't there. Apparently, there was a very convenient robbery at the place it was housed."

"Oh."

"Yep, so we've got nothing," Dean groaned.

"But Giles is looking for other options?"

"Yeah," Dean sighed. "He said he's got a couple of other avenues…..but….."

"Then we can't give up," Sam persisted. "This is just a setback."

Dean let out a huff as he shook his head and flashed a disgruntled frown.

"That's all we've had for YEARS Sam, a buncha setbacks," he bemoaned. "I'm really getting sick of it."

Dean heaved another huff as he ambled back toward the house. Sam took off after him, passing Bobby in the living room.

"I am too Dean," Sam said flatly. "But we can't let it get to us and we HAVE to stick together."

Dean stared out the window as Bobby grimaced with confusion. 

"What's going on now?" he grunted.

"The lead Giles found for us, it didn't pan out," Sam informed.

"Well, I don't feel totally useless now," Bobby spat.

Bobby wheeled away as Sam watched his brother still staring out the window.

"Dean, we're still in this, right?"

After a long moment of silence, Dean averted his eyes from the window and let out a breath.

"Yeah," he affirmed softly.

A few weeks later:

Buffy tightened her grip on Allie's hand as they strolled out of the downtown public library. Allie grinned as she clutched a pink plush bag stuffed with a book while Buffy carried a large stack in a similar bag. Several people glanced at them and smiled at their matching outfits and accessories. After casually roaming down the sidewalk, Buffy perched outside a hair salon as a thought drifted through her head. One of her friends, Zoe, had a similar issue with her daughter Olivia, not wanting to cut her hair. Zoe gave Buffy a tip about how she successfully convinced Olivia to shed a few inches of her ankle length locks.

Buffy shifted in her stance, chewing on her lower lip as she stood outside of the hair salon.

"What's this mommy?" Allie asked as she pointed to the door.

"It's a hair salon," Buffy said. "I was thinking that I would get a little haircut."

Buffy pulled the door open and gently ushered Allie inside. A woman in a dark pink apron greeted Buffy and Allie as they walked in. As Buffy settled into a chair, Allie crawled into one beside her. Allie playfully twirled Buffy's hair as the stylist asked her questions.

Buffy focused her sights on Allie, drawing a hopeful look.

"What do you think sweetie? How short should I cut it?"

Allie licked her lips as she studied Buffy intently.

"Um….not too short!"

"Oh, okay."

As the stylist began working on Buffy, Allie climbed out of her chair and began twirling around the salon. Buffy let out a defeated sigh as Allie ran around, grinning at the other staff. After a few minutes, Allie ran back to Buffy as the stylist continued clipping her hair. Allie crawled back onto her chair and bounced anxiously in her seat.

"Mommy, I want to cut my hair too."

Buffy widened her eyes in delight.

"You do? Okay."

Buffy hurriedly summoned another stylist to work on Allie. Allie crinkled her nose as the stylist sprayed her hair with water.

"Not too short please," Allie said.

Buffy beamed a pleasant smile as she leaned over and kissed Allie's wet head. Allie stood up in her seat and linked her arms around Buffy.

"Oh sweetie, you need to sit back down so you can get your hair cut," Buffy said.

Allie raked a hand through Buffy's hair and pouted.

"You need to have brown hair mommy."

Buffy frowned curiously as Allie climbed back into her seat.

"Brown hair?"

"Uh huh," Allie chimed. "I want you to match."

Buffy rolled her eyes over her tan cargo pants and dark pink tee shirt that matched Allie's outfit.

"But we do sweetie," Buffy said. "We always match."

Allie shook her head and pinched one of her damp locks.

"My hair is brown," Allie stated. "You have yellow hair. I don't want you to have yellow hair."

The stylist working on Allie's hair snorted in amusement.

"She's adorable and opinionated apparently," she said.

Buffy soaked in Allie's deep mope and then gasped in awe.

"Yeah, she certainly is," Buffy acceded.

"So, are we doing a color today too?"

Buffy stared at her reflection in the mirror as her stylist ran a blow dryer through her hair.

"Uh, no, not today, I'll have to think about it."

Later that evening:

After Sam went on a food run, Dean snapped on the TV to quell the painful silence blanketing the room. Feeling that gray haze gathering in his mind, he clicked through the channels, trying to keep himself distracted from contemplating over an incessant, dark thought that had tugged on his conscience for several weeks. As he continued to click randomly, passed the news, passed the Eastwood movie marathon, passed the menu to access adult movies, he felt his mind drifting. His finger tapped rapidly on the remote control, a wave of various dialogues rolling through the air.

"…wish I could be part of that world….."

Dean frowned with cynicism as the redheaded cartoon character sang her laments about being tired of her life as a mermaid. He shook his head and snorted derisively.

"Hate to tell ya sister but you don't want to be part of this world, so go crawl back in your shell and deal with it," he said grimly.

As he prepared to change the channel, the sight of Sebastian the crab shook up thoughts of Allie Summers in his mind. Then he heard her infectious laughter flooding his ears, saw her toothy grin shining brightly up at him, felt the warmth spearing through the icicles in his heart. He flashed on the sight of Buffy's compassionate eyes, the glow of her maternal smile, the unwavering strength behind all her expressions. As more images flickered through his mind, Dean bellowed with a heavy sigh, feeling the immense responsibility weighing on his shoulders.

Time was running out and his hope was fleeting, Hell it was barely alive in his system. But every time he wanted to stop believing, every time he wanted to quit fighting, the face of Buffy Summers flared up in his mind. She would have never given up, never given in - no matter what and the only reason he kept holding on to the last handful of hope was because of her unexpected influence in his tainted life. What would she think of him if he gave up and let the world burn away, if he let millions of people die because he wasn't strong enough? Buffy had invested so much faith and trust in her friends to keep the world safe and if he gave up, he was letting her down. But who was he kidding? As much as she considered him a friend, honoring him with Allie's middle name, allowing him into her home, into her life, he didn't deserve her friendship, her trust or her praise.

As he drifted deeper into an abyss of black thoughts, he felt a snap in his brain when he heard a familiar voice of strength and conviction pealing through his ears.

"_And remember, no matter how bad things seems, there's always hope."_

Dean dropped his sights to the floor and heaved a long breath at the ex Slayer's positive outlook. If it wasn't one Summers girl lurking in the back of his mind, it was another or both. The more he tried to forget about them, the more prominent they became in his mind.

He had to keep fighting, he had to find a way to save the world, he had to keep his promise to little Allie Summers. It didn't matter that she had an army of people looking out for her, the vow he made to protect that kid before she was born was still set in stone. He had to do something; he had to make sure she would grow up, that she would keep being in Buffy's life, rewarding her mom with immense love and happiness. He had to keep holding on, he had to, but every setback, every ass kicking by a demon, every loss of innocent life at the hands of Lucifer's followers, made it harder to grasp faith.

As he sunk deeper with despondency, he barely noticed the door swinging open.

Sam beamed with incredulousness when he peered at the screen, seeing animated characters conversing in an underwater environment.

"Dude, seriously?" he questioned.

Dean blinked rapidly out of his foggy daze and swung his eyes to Sam, lingering under the doorway of their motel room.

"What?"

"I didn't realize you were a fan," Sam snorted as he drew a smirk.

Sam dropped two takeout bags on the table before peeling off his jacket.

"Huh?"

Sam nodded at the TV, deepening his smirk. Dean swept his eyes back to the TV, absorbing the sight of Ariel on screen. When he momentarily seemed engrossed in the movie in the same way he got when he caught a re-airing of Dr. Sexy, Sam snorted loudly in amusement. Dean shook his head rapidly, frowning with offense.

"What? I'm not!" he protested. "I was channel surfing and got…distracted."

"By The Little Mermaid?" Sam said.

As Sam chuckled, Dean snapped the TV off and rose from the edge of the bed.

"No, by…..something else," he spat. "Shut up."

Sam chuckled some more as Dean stuffed a hand in the takeout bag, plucked out a burger and stuffed a bite in his mouth. After Sam settled his amusement, he studied his brother for a moment, taking note of his pensive look as he devoured dinner - it was that far off, dazed look he had displayed often over the past few months. As he caught his brother glancing at the blank screen of the TV, Sam cocked his head curiously when it was obvious what was on Dean's mind or rather who.

Feeling the weight of his heavy gaze, Dean wiped his mouth and glared at Sam in annoyance.

"What's that look about huh?"

After a long moment, Sam shook his head, letting his curiosity die away for the time being. It was clear that Dean wasn't willing to open up about Buffy and Allie so Sam wasn't going to press the subject, since they were trying to repair their relationship.

"Nothing," Sam dismissed as he took his dinner out of the takeout bag.

Dean passed him a brief look as Sam worked on his dinner. When his cell phone rang, Sam plucked it up from the table and glanced at the restricted number.

"Hello? Oh, hey Andrew. Uh, yeah I got your….twelve messages….they were very um….thoughtful so um, thanks for the support….."

Dean smirked in amusement as Sam shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Sam shot Dean a glare as Andrew rambled on the other line.

"Okay so uh, is there anything new?"

Sam dropped his sandwich and quickly retrieved a notepad and pen, taking notes.

Twenty minutes later, Sam wrapped up his conversation.

"Okay Andrew, thanks for the update," he said politely. "Just let me know as soon as you hear something."

Sam's hopeful expression shifted into an awkward look.

"Um, yeah thanks for….thinking of me…."

When Dean chuckled softly, Sam rained an annoyed frown at him before he hung up.

"Huh, you got yourself a fanboy," Dean snorted.

Sam let out a sigh, ignoring the remark.

"Andrew said they're on their way to see Thor's Hammer," he informed.

Dean gave a nod as he crumbled up his empty takeout bag and chucked it in the trash.

"Ah, right, aren't they on a world reunion tour?"

Sam simply stared at his brother's wry grin until it faded from Dean's face.

"Okay," Dean moaned. "So Thor's Hammer is a real thing."

"According to Giles' resources it is," Sam said. "It's reputed to be able to level large land masses, like mountains."

"Or Lucifer's ego?"

"Might be," Sam said. "Anyway, Giles should be there in a few hours."

Dean nodded, this time in sincerity.

"Thor's Hammer," he said in awe. "I never would have thought of that."

"Neither would I," Sam said. "Guess it's good you thought to contact Giles for help huh?"

Dean shrugged as he picked out another beer from the fridge.

"Yeah maybe," he sighed.

Several hours later, as Dean watched the tail end of A Fistful of Dollars, Sam's cell phone rang over the movie dialogue. Seeing the same 'restricted' number notice on the caller ID, Sam answered the phone, feeling an instinct.

"Andrew," he guessed.

Dean looked across at Sam as he shaded with an awkward look.

"Um Andrew, are you…crying? Andrew? Take a breath, okay? What happened?"

A few minutes later, Sam released a sigh of disappointment.

"Okay, well, thanks for the update," he said. "What? Uh, no, I'm not mad at you….Andrew, stop crying…..I'm not mad okay? Uh yeah, we're still…..tight….it's okay…..bye."

Sam cleared his throat after he hung up the phone and set it aside. Dean lowered the volume of the TV and eyed Sam.

"Let me guess, Thor's Hammer mysteriously disappeared."

Sam nodded. "Unfortunately, according to Andrew, there've been a rash of stolen artifacts over the past few weeks."

"And these artifacts just happen to be possible weapons against Lucifer," Dean assessed. "Well, that's no coincidence. Whatever."

Feeling an uneasy tightening in his stomach, Sam let out a sigh.

"Andrew is already looking for the wings of Icarus."

Dean shined his disbelief and dismay.

"Icarus' wings? Are you kidding me? What are we supposed to do with a pair of giant wings? Strap 'em to Lucifer's back and kick him toward the sun? Come on. This is getting ridiculous."

"He's looking into every angle, no matter how ridiculous," Sam stressed. "Giles is on a flight to Rome to meet with a colleague and one of his teams has been dispatched to find the sword of Titus."

"Well, it's all pointless Sam," Dean groaned. "So first thing in the morning, I'm gonna call Giles and tell him to stop looking for these WMDs. He's been flying all over the world for nothing, so we just need to put a stop to it. He's got enough on his plate."

"Dean….."

"Look, you heard Bobby, Lucifer sent Death after him cuz he's helping us," Dean pointed grimly. "He's going to put down anyone who stands in his way from wearing you Sam. Giles, Andrew and all of them, they're just targets the longer we let them help us. So we have to just drop 'em."

"They want to help," Sam stated firmly.

"Well we don't have to let them," Dean snapped back.

Before Sam could try to reason with him, Dean abruptly rose from the bed and collected his jacket.

"Where are you going?"

"To get some air."

Dean pulled open the door and ambled out of the room, letting out a heavy sigh as he stepped into the parking lot. For several minutes, he stared up at the night sky, his face tightening with fury and bitterness. After another minute of searching the heavens, his face knitted with sorrow and defeat as his eyes sprung with moisture. He heaved another sigh as he pushed down his emotions and sauntered toward the bar across the street.

Early the next morning:

Buffy marveled in awe as she brushed Allie's hair, draping down to her ankles.

"Gosh sweetie, your hair has gotten so dark," she said.

Allie stared into a pink full length mirror and grinned.

"It's dark brown! Like chocolate! I have chocolate hair!"

Buffy sputtered with a giggle as she soaked in Allie's gleeful expression.

"Oh, chocolate hair huh?"

Buffy giggled heartily again as she gently pulled Allie's hair into a ponytail.

"Well, let's not eat your chocolate hair okay?"

"Why?" Allie asked.

"Because your hair is the color of chocolate," Buffy said. "It's not really chocolate."

"But why?"

Buffy widened her eyes in awe at Allie's increasingly curious nature.

"Well, um…because people don't have hair that you can eat."

"Why?"

"Uh, because…..," Buffy replied. "It's just like how mudpies aren't really made from mud or meant to be eaten."

"But I like mudpies! They come with worms!" Allie cheered.

After reflecting upon a recent memory, Buffy heaved a sigh, biting down on her lower lip.

"Yeah, I know sweetie," she moaned.

Allie danced around her room as Buffy picked out a couple of outfit options.

"Okay Allie, what are we wearing today?"

Allie paused by the bed and looked over the three shirts of different colors.

"I want the purple one!"

Allie picked up the purple shirt and then pointed at Buffy.

"You wear purple today!"

"Okay, let's get you dressed and off to daycare."

Later that morning:

As Sam packed up his belongings, Dean plugged in a number just as his cell phone sputtered. He frowned curiously at the international phone number blinking on his caller ID.

"Yeah? Giles, just the man I wanted to speak to."

Sam looked up from his bag as Dean drew a determined look, pushing his own packing task aside for the moment.

"Actually, an update is not necessary. Look Giles, I…."

Sam watched his brother bellow with a deep sigh, his face knitting with reluctance.

"Yeah, yeah, okay, hold on."

Dean pushed a button on his phone and set it on the table.

"Okay, Giles, you're on speaker, go ahead."

Sam drifted over to the table as Giles spoke through the line, sounding very weary.

"As I was starting to say, it appears we have run into a problem in our quest to find a viable weapon against Lucifer," Giles replied.

"Yeah, they're conveniently MIA when you find them," Dean stated flatly.

"Yes, unfortunately," Giles said. "Xander was unable to recover the sword of Titus."

"Of course," Dean said with a wry smile.

"Let me clarify it was in his hands but he was ambushed by a hoard of demons," Giles added grimly.

"Is he okay?" Dean asked with restrained concern.

"Yes, he is nursing a broken arm but thankfully, he and his team were able to escape any grave harm."

"Why would the demons want the sword of Titus?" Sam asked.

"I spent most of the night theorizing with my colleague and what our best assessment of this situation is – the demons are gathering these weapons in preparation for the final battle between Lucifer and Michael. The amount of power these weapons can wield – it is likely they will give the demons an advantage when fighting against the Heavenly Host."

"So we got a lot of powerful weapons in the hands of Lucifer's followers, TERRIFIC," Dean groused.

"I have instructed the Council to utilize every Watcher in our search for the missing weapons," Giles remarked.

"Don't waste your time Giles. At this point, we're screwed," Dean said bleakly.

"I have not given up, nor will I," Giles declared. "So you must not either. Willow is fervently searching through the database and has been sending teams out by the hour."

As Sam remained hopeful, he noticed his brother's intensely grim expression thickening over his face. Dean heaved a sigh as he gripped the edges of the table and muttered under his breath.

"Look Giles, I know you want to help and I'm grateful for the effort you've made and what you've done but let's face it, this weapons quest – is a lost cause – it's obvious Lucifer knows you're trying to help us find them. So thanks for everything Giles and I'm sorry for wasting so much of your time…."

"Dean, you must remain positive….." Giles started.

Dean scoffed sharply and shook his head.

"Remain positive? The countdown to the Apocalypse is ticking away," he said explicitly. "We got a handful of months left if that, a bunch of dead ends, demons with ancient land leveling weapons at their disposal, Big Daddy is MIA and Lucifer's waiting around to take his vessel. Those are ALL the negatives Giles, so just what the hell is supposed to be positive huh?"

Dean heaved a breath of frustration as he stomped away from the table. Sam shifted awkwardly in his stance as he tried to think of some positive words to say. After a very long minute of silence, Giles sighed through the other line as Dean perched beside the window.

"I know things seem very bleak right now," Giles said. "But you cannot lose hope. We are all actively searching for a definitive way to stop Lucifer. And he WILL be stopped."

Dean peered through the shades, his face tightening with cynicism.

"I will be on a flight to see another colleague tomorrow morning," Giles said. "Andrew will keep you advised of any new updates and will be available for any inquiries or assistance you need."

Seeing his brother stewing with doubt, Sam leaned over the table and spoke into the phone.

"Thanks for updating us Giles," Sam said sincerely. "It must be really late where you are so, have a good night."

"Yes, I shall speak with you soon. Good night."

After hearing a click on the other line, Sam hung up Dean's phone. As the tense silence drifted back into the room, Sam started toward Dean. Dean threw him a look as he pivoted to his bed and continued to pack.

"I want to be outta here in ten minutes."

As Dean kept his eyes focused on packing, Sam let out a sigh of surrender.

"Okay."

A few weeks later:

Buffy beamed a maternal smile when she heard the infectious sounds of kids squealing happily as they were let out of an activities class. The instructor, Myra pointed to Buffy as the kids gathered around.

"Okay, don't forget to get your stamp from Miss Buffy! See you next week!"

The group of four year old girls gathered in a line as Buffy got out the Learning Train's red caboose stamp. Each little girl smiled as Buffy gently stamped their hands before they reunited with their waiting parent. When she finished up, Buffy waved to the little girls as they ran out the door. As Buffy settled behind the front counter, tidying up the pamphlets and pens, she heard the distinct train whistle blowing as the door opened.

Buffy looked up and shined her surprise as 'Outback' Rick strolled through the door, clutching the hand of a little boy. Rick studied her briefly before giving a polite wave.

"Well hello," Rick said. "You were in my KickFit class, weren't you?"

Buffy nodded and smiled politely.

"Yeah, that was me," she said. "Welcome to the Learning Train, I'm Buffy. Can I help you with something?"

"Yes, I got a referral about this place," Rick said. "Wanted to find out a little more about what you have to offer."

Rick beamed a charismatic smile as all the women, moms and staff, gawked at him. Buffy absorbed all the stares from the females as Rick didn't seem to notice, focusing on his son's soft grumblings.

Buffy cleared her throat and picked up a glossy brochure, passing it over the counter to Rick. She glanced down at the little boy and smiled as Rick looked over the brochure. Buffy picked up a basket of toys and came around to the front of the counter.

"Hey sweetie, do you like trains?"

The little boy clung to Rick and averted his eyes. Rick patted the boy on the head and gave an apologetic look to Buffy.

"He's a bit shy around new people," he explained.

"Oh, I understand, what's his name?"

"Tyler."

Buffy shined a maternal smile as she picked out a train and handed it to Tyler.

"Hi Tyler, I'm Buffy."

Tyler didn't take the train, clinging tighter to Rick.

"We have trucks and airplanes too, would you like one of those instead?"

Buffy held out the basket of toys and after a long moment, Tyler took out an airplane.

"What do you say buddy?" Rick said.

Tyler buried his face in Rick's stomach. Rick laughed and shook his head.

"Sorry, thank you for the airplane Buffy," he said.

Buffy smiled at Tyler's endearingly shy nature before waving a hand in dismiss.

"He's a cutie pie, how old?"

"He's four and a half," Rick said before turning his eyes to the bulletin board behind the counter. "Can you tell me if you have any sports oriented classes for kids his age?"

"Ah yeah we have tons, let me get you a brochure."

Buffy made her way back around the reception counter and reached up to a shelf to pull off a three ring binder. She sifted through the binder, stopping on a specific page.

"Here you go," she said. "If you have any questions, just let me know."

Rick nodded as he reviewed the number of classes.

"Lot of options here. What do you recommend? Tyler has a bit of trouble with his numbers right now."

"Oh, well, we have a basketball class that incorporates math and coordination skills – you can take the class with him too."

Buffy pointed to a section of the page showing the schedule.

"That sounds perfect, where do I sign up?"

Buffy plucked up an enrollment packet and handed it to Rick.

"Thanks for all your help," he said sincerely.

As those intense blue eyes started lashing at her composure, Buffy flushed out a deep breath and smiled politely. 

"You're welcome."

Later that evening:

Dean narrowed his eyes on Roy as he stared down the barrel of a shotgun.

"Oh fine, kill me," he groaned. "But just so you know, when I get tapped back to Earth, I'm not gonna be happy."

As he threw Roy an intimidating glare, the two hunters exchanged looks before the shotgun fire rang through the room. Dean collapsed back onto his bed, his shirt bloodied with bullet holes, his eyes wide, glassy and devoid of life….

Buffy let out a yawn as she perused her online curriculum reading. She glanced at the clock as the peaceful silence lulled through the house. As she cued the printer, Buffy jumped in startle and panic when she heard Allie's mad shrieks cracking through the air. Buffy bolted out of her chair and charged up the stairs.

"Allie!" she called frantically.

As Allie screamed louder, more fiercely, Buffy rushed into her bedroom and felt her heart shuddering with anxiety. Allie was standing on her trundle bed, her eyes swollen and glassy, her cheeks stained with tears.

"Mommy!" Allie cried.

Buffy ran over to Allie and picked her up.

"It's okay, sweetie, I'm here," she soothed.

Allie shook her head as tears streaked down her cheeks.

"What's wrong?"

Buffy squeezed her baby tightly, her own eyes welling at the sadness knitted over Allie's face. She gently rocked Allie in her arms, kissing her damp cheeks.

"He went away!" Allie roared.

"What? Who went away?" Buffy asked.

"Uncle Dean! He went away!"

Buffy cupped Allie's damp cheeks and shaded with sympathy.

"You miss him," she said.

"I want him to come back!" Allie growled. "I want him to come back now!"

Buffy let out a breath as she folded into a rocking chair, gently stroking Allie's hair.

"Oh Allie, I know how much you love and miss your Uncle Dean," she said. "I know. But I've explained to you that he has to work. He can't visit all the time."

Allie clenched her fists and shook her head.

"No mommy! He went away!"

Allie scowled deeply in frustration.

"He went away, up in the sky!"

Buffy opened her mouth in wonder as Allie pointed to the ceiling.

"Uncle Dean went in the sky!"

"Uh, you mean he went in an airplane?"

Allie huffed in frustration and shook her head, scowling deeper.

"No! Not in airplane! He went away! In the sky! I want him to come back!"

Buffy widened her eyes in realization. She had wondered and anticipated whether Allie would display special abilities as the child of a Slayer, since she had already had advanced skills for her age.

"Allie, did you….did you see something when you were sleeping?"

Allie heaved a breath and nodded, clenching her fists tighter.

"It was loud and then he went away, up into the sky."

Buffy gasped with astonishment as Allie's description dawned on her.

"In the sky…..where your Grandma is?"

Allie nodded as more tears ran down her cheeks.

"I want him to come back now!" Allie cried. "I want him to come back!"

Allie sputtered with tears and buried her face in Buffy's shoulder. Buffy clutched Allie tighter, stamping back her own horror as she rocked her in the chair. As Allie sobbed incessantly, Buffy bit down on her own quavering lips, soothing her baby in the faintly lit bedroom.

"You just had a bad dream sweetie," Buffy said softly. "It was just a bad dream."

Buffy kissed the top of Allie's head, rocking in silence for several minutes.

After a half hour, Allie's sobbing ceased as she leaned her head against Buffy's shoulder. Buffy looked down at Allie and took in her immensely sullen expression. She cracked with sympathy as Allie was unusually reticent, staring off and sniffling softly.

"You want to go downstairs and play for a little while?"

Allie didn't speak, nodding instead. Buffy rose from the rocking chair, planting a kiss on Allie's temple as she cradled her in her arms. Allie remained quiet as Buffy set her down in the play area of the living room. Allie sniffled as she took out a few of her favorite toys and put them in front of Buffy.

Allie heaved a deep sigh as she lost interest in her toys, folding into Buffy's lap.

"Oh Allie, I hate when you're so sad like this," Buffy moaned. "How about we play mermaids?"

Buffy picked up Sebastian the crab and made the stuffed animal crawl along the carpet. Allie simply watched Buffy, not giggling or smiling. After another minute of trying to cheer her up, Allie drew a pout and began crying again. Buffy burst with maternal sympathy as tears welled in her eyes. She folded Allie in her arms and hugged her tightly.

"You just had a bad dream," Buffy said.

Allie wailed incessantly for another half hour. Buffy sucked in a shaky breath as Allie remained entangled in her arms, showing no interest in playing with her toys. Buffy pulled out some books and waved a few at Allie.

"Do you want mommy to read you a story?"

Allie shook her head as the sadness in her eyes deepened.

"Well, mommy doesn't want you to be sad," Buffy replied. "I want you to be happy. I love you so much. Everybody loves you so much Allie. You're the sweetest, smartest, most amazing little girl in the whole world and I don't know what I'd do without you."

Buffy planted a loving kiss on Allie's forehead, pushing a dark brown lock away from her face.

"You know how you tell me, it's okay mommy, I love you? When you say that, I feel so special and so lucky," she cheered. "You make everyone in our life feel that way just by smiling or laughing or just being around. You have so much love to give."

Buffy gingerly tapped on Allie's heart and beamed a proud smile.

"And I love that you give it so freely to your aunts and uncles," she added. "You're so precious to me and all of them."

Allie snatched a lock of Buffy's hair and twirled it around her finger, looking up at her mother with wide, soulful eyes.

"I wanna hear about when I was born," she said.

Buffy sighed in relief as Allie spoke for the first time in over an hour. Allie shifted within her lap, snuggling her head on Buffy's thigh. Buffy beamed a smile down at Allie, wiping the dampness from her little girl's cheeks.

"You never get tired of hearing that story huh?"

Allie shook her head as Buffy widened her smile.

"I never get tired of telling it," Buffy confessed.

Allie patted on Buffy's stomach.

"I was in there and I wanted to come out and meet Uncle Dean," Allie cooed.

Buffy burst with tears of joy and laughter.

"Yeah, that's what happened," she said.

"Mommy was scared. You went 'ahhhhh!'" Allie added as she crinkled her brows to display a pained face.

Buffy giggled heartily as the memory flashed vividly through her mind.

"Yep," she said. "I did that a lot."

"And Uncle Dean, he helped you with me."

Buffy shined her awe as Allie recalled the story in detail.

"He certainly did," Buffy acknowledged. "He helped mommy before you were even born. Even then, he cared about you."

When Allie let out a yawn, Buffy got to her feet and turned toward the stairs.

"Back to bed?"

Allie shook her head.

"I wanna color and read books."

Buffy noted the time and heaved a breath as she absorbed the tints of sadness still flaring in Allie's eyes.

"How about we go to my room? Then you can sleep in the big bed with mommy if you want to."

Allie nodded as she dipped her head on Buffy's shoulder. Buffy rubbed Allie's back as she carried her upstairs.

"Everything's going to be okay," Buffy soothed.

Several hours later, as the sun peeked through the horizon, Buffy pried her eyes open as Allie was tucked under her arm, skimming another book from a large stack at her side. Though she hadn't cried, Allie's eyes still flared with sadness as Buffy read book after book until the morning hours arrived.

Dean abruptly folded upright, coughing violently as he eyed Sam. Sam was panting heavily as Dean released the last of a long cough.

"You okay?" Sam asked in a raspy tone.

Dean beamed a disgruntled frown as his mind reeled with shocking revelations from his time in Heaven.

"Never better," he grunted.

Buffy blinked rapidly in surprise when Allie squirmed out of her hold and climbed off the bed.

"I want to go on the slide mommy."

"Don't you want to sleep for a little bit? You were up all night."

Allie shook her head as she pointed out the window.

"I want to go on my slide," she moaned.

Buffy let out a yawn as Allie shuffled to the doorway.

"Okay, but just for a little while and then you need to try and rest," Buffy said.

Buffy followed Allie as she traipsed down the stairs and made a beeline for the patio doors. Buffy slid the door open, watching Allie dart out before picking up the land line. Buffy punched a speed dial number as she folded into a patio chair, observing Allie as she shot down her pink slide.

After several rings, an answering machine picked up and she heard Giles' brief and polite message. Buffy hung up before the message played out, too anxious to wait around. She quickly hit another speed dial button and after two rings, the line picked up.

"Buffy! Oh, how I've missed you!"

"Hi Andrew, I tried to get a hold of Giles but his machine picked up."

"He's been trekking around Jerusalem the past week," Andrew imparted. "Is there something I can do for you? Pretty please?'

Buffy checked on Allie, still content with shooting down her slide.

"Well, I'm not sure," she said. "Would you happen to know if Dean is okay? Has he contacted Giles or anything?"

"Humph," Andrew grumbled. "I am not on speaking terms with el hermano – that…that lovely hearts stealer!"

Buffy heaved an anxious sigh when Andrew started muttering under his breaths.

"So that's a no? Andrew?"

Andrew bellowed a faint groan into the line.

"I prefer to deal with Sam, the ever so polite, brave gentleman," he cooed.

"Andrew, this is important," Buffy said firmly. "I need to know, is Dean alive?"

"Yes, as far as I know," Andrew said. "I talked to Sam two nights ago, we had a lovely conversation, I've been so stressed lately and just hearing his voice, it's so soothing to my nerves….."

Buffy shifted her eyes to Allie as she stepped into her turtle sandbox. Buffy observed Allie as she stood in the center of the sandbox and bellowed with a sigh, her face heavy with a scowl. After a second, Allie retreated back to the pink slide and sat down on the first step. She hung her chin in her hands and moped deeply.

Buffy shaded with immense concern as Allie sat still on the step, folding her hands together, scoping the fence line, as if she were looking, no, waiting for something, or rather someone. Feeling a heaviness growing in her heart, Buffy chewed on her lower lip apprehensively as she thought back to Allie's nightmare.

"So you've been in frequent contact with them?"

"Yes, I've been helping them with…stuff," Andrew said nervously.

"Okay, that's good, I won't press, as long as you know they're not in danger."

After a lull in response, Buffy felt an uneasy tug in her stomach.

"Are they in danger?"

"Well…..as protectors of humanity, their lives are constantly in danger," Andrew said in a booming tone. "One must be brave, as the glorious and handsome Sam Winchester is, for he faces the darkest creatures of the night…"

Buffy bit down on her lip as Andrew started his narrative ramblings.

"Will you do me a favor?" Buffy cut in.

"Oh, of course!"

"You have their contact information so can you give me….."

Allie trotted over to Buffy and hung on her arm.

"Mommy, I don't feel good."

Buffy sparked with maternal concern as she curled her arm around Allie.

"I wanna lie down," Allie said weakly.

"Um Andrew, can you just give them a call and check on them for me? I need to get Allie to bed, she had a rough night and couldn't sleep."

"Oh no! My poor little Alice!" Andrew said emphatically. "I'll take care of this right now and you tuck and cuddle our precious little spark!"

"Okay, thanks Andrew."

Sam cocked an eyebrow in disbelief when he returned from the bathroom to see a tall glass of beer in front of Dean. As Sam slipped back into his chair, Dean picked up his beer and guzzled it down. Ever since they left the motel, the one they had died and been resurrected in, Dean had been in an irascible mood, barely speaking or even making eye contact with Sam or anyone else for that matter. After everything he had seen and learned while up in Heaven, Sam was quickly growing apprehensive about his brother's faith in stopping the Apocalypse without Angel assistance. Dean narrowed his eyes on Sam, throwing him a peevish frown.

"What Sam? What?"

"Sorry, it's just…beer with breakfast? That's new."

"Yeah, well, you need it when you need it," Dean said crisply.

Sam issued a sigh as Dean stared out the window, barely touching his breakfast plate.

"Dean."

Dean turned his eyes from the window and glared at Sam with steely eyes.

"Just spare me another pep talk or 'words of wisdom' right now, okay? I'm not in the mood," he snapped.

Dean polished off his beer and pushed his breakfast plate aside as Sam let out another sigh. As Dean went back to staring blankly out the window, Sam shifted in his seat when he felt his cell phone buzzing in his pocket. After recognizing the number flashing on the screen, he let out yet another sigh.

"Andrew."

"Good morning my brave hero!" Andrew chimed.

Sam fidgeted uncomfortably in his seat as the waitress came by to refill his coffee cup.

"Um good morning," he said politely. "What's up?"

"Oh, I've been busy as usual, how are you Sam? Are you well?"

"Uh, yeah, I'm fine."

"Good! I'm so glad to hear it," Andrew cheered.

After a brief pause, Sam noticed a significant change in Andrew's tone as he continued his inquiry.

"And how is my arch nemesis?" Andrew grumbled. "Is he alive and well?"

Sam passed a glance at his brother, still staring out the window, working on another beer.

"Well, physically," he muttered softly.

"Sorry, I didn't hear you."

"Uh, he's fine too Andrew," Sam said.

"He's in one piece, are you absolutely certain, one hundred percent?" Andrew pressed.

Sam furrowed his brows in curiosity.

"Yeah, he's sitting right in front of me," Sam affirmed.

"Okay, I've done my job then," Andrew replied. "I'll speak with you later Sam!"

Sam hung up and put his cell phone on the table as Dean pulled his eyes to him.

"What was that about? I thought I made it clear that we weren't gonna bother Giles and his crew anymore."

"Giles said he was still going to help us," Sam stressed. "Anyway, that wasn't really business; Andrew just wanted to know if we were okay. Or more specifically, that you were okay."

Dean shifted out of a sour look to one of disbelief.

"What? But I thought Andrew hated me," he replied. "Why would he care if I'm alive or dead?"

"I don't think he really hates you, it's more like he's got….Uncle envy," Sam said. "Because you know, you're the 'Jedi Master of Uncles'."

Sam beamed an amused grin to ease the tension in the air but Dean simply frowned defensively.

"We're not talking about this again," he grunted.

"Or at all," Sam pointed dryly, throwing a knowing look at his brother.

"Just let it go Sam, alright?" Dean pleaded sharply.

As Dean hooked Sam with a frown of dismay, Sam let out a sigh.

"Look Dean, it's obvious how important they are to you – so why won't you just talk about them?" Sam said innocently.

Dean scrutinized Sam's genuine look of interest as he polished off his beer. After another assessing look, Dean burrowed into his seat and blew out a long breath. As an image of Buffy and Allie began to spring up in his mind, Dean pushed it back and buried it away. His heart splintered with hurt every time those two passed through his mind now, knowing very soon, Hell was coming to Earth and not even the Supreme One himself was going to lift anymore fingers to stop to it. Dean issued a long, heavy sigh as he raked a hand through his hair. The fate of the world, of millions of lives, rested in his hands. Well, the world was doomed. Even though he had Giles and his crew assisting, Lucifer was still chalking up victories, taking away any advantage they had.

"I mean, if you want to….." Sam said.

"I DON'T want to," Dean said fiercely. "So just drop it."

Dean whipped his sights from Sam and went back to staring off through the window when the waitress dropped off their bill. Sam studied his brother as he stared woefully at something in the distance. Sam curiously followed Dean's line of sight to a billboard down the road. He deepened his curiosity when Dean exhibited that far off look again as he fixated on the bright colored ocean themed billboard that read: Grand Pacific Aquarium opening in 2011.

After another moment of studying the billboard, Dean pushed his chair from the table and bellowed with a sigh, briefly conveying a pained look on his face. He pulled out his wallet, chucked a few bills on the table and then roughly rubbed his face with a hand. 

"You okay?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, I'm fantastic," Dean said flatly. "Let's hit the road."

As they ambled out of the restaurant, two older women in prim navy suits attacked them with clipboards.

"Would you like to sign a petition to put Reverend Morris Albright on the 2011 election ticket?" one woman asked eagerly.

"He's the savior of our future!" the other woman added emphatically.

Sam and Dean exchanged looks as the petitioners stared up at them.

"Sorry ladies but NO, he's not," Dean said gruffly as he pushed passed the women.

As the women stared off at Dean, Sam cleared his throat and flashed them apologetic look.

"Um, have a nice day," he said before heading off after his brother.

Five hours later, Buffy roused from her own slumber when she heard the door chiming downstairs. She quietly rose from her rocking chair as she checked on Allie, still sleeping soundly after an emotional night. Buffy blew out a breath of relief as the agitation on Allie' face had finally bled away. She crept out of the bedroom and headed downstairs to answer the door.

"Hey B!"

Buffy widened her eyes in pleasant surprise as Faith grinned back at her.

"Faith, hey! How long are you here for?"

"Couple hours," Faith said. "I'm headed up to the border so I thought I'd drop in. Hope that's okay."

"Yeah, of course," Buffy said as she stepped aside to let Faith in.

Faith rummaged through her duffel bag and plucked out several wrapped gifts.

"I brought presents from me and the girls. Where's your little doll?"

"Upstairs, sleeping," Buffy said quietly.

Faith glanced at the clock in the foyer and frowned.

"Isn't she usually up by now? I thought I timed my trip so I'd be here before her nap time."

Buffy nodded as she shuffled into the living room and took a seat in the arm chair while Faith plopped down on the couch.

"Yeah, she usually is but she was up all night," Buffy said. "She had a nightmare and didn't want to go back to sleep so I stayed up with her. That reminds me, hold on one second."

Buffy got up and anxiously checked for messages on her machine. When she saw the blinking light, she pressed the play button.

"Hello my sweet Buffy, it's Andrew with news. I spoke with Sam the Magnificent, he's good and his brother is one hundred percent alive and well. So no more worries. I hope my precious Alice is feeling better! I sent her a get well present via priority mail, it shall be there tomorrow. Call me if you need anything else."

Buffy heaved another breath of relief as she erased the message and sat back in her armchair. After drifting her thoughts, she snapped out of her daze to see Faith staring at her.

"You're worried about the hottie hunter brothers?"

"I didn't know you'd met….them."

"I haven't, but I saw that lovely mug shot of big bro and the way Andrew goes on and on about Sam, well, I figure they must both have been blessed with good looks. Anyway, why you worried, have you heard or looked into something?" Faith asked suspiciously.

"No," Buffy said firmly. "I just asked Andrew to check on them for me because Allie….well, she got really upset last night."

"Yeah, you said she had a nightmare, poor girl," Faith replied. "So are we talking Slayer like nightmare?"

"Honestly? I really hope not. I don't want Allie to ever experience what I went through, to be exposed to that kind of darkness in her life but from what she said, I have to wonder….."

Buffy let out a breath before she recalled the details of Allie's bad dream. Faith burrowed into the couch and widened her eyes in amazement.

"Woah, guess Al really does have quite the bond with her Uncle Dean huh? So you think she actually saw him die?"

"I think she might have," Buffy said ruefully. "I don't know exactly what she saw, just what she told me and I've NEVER seen her so upset before Faith. It broke my heart to see her so sad and depressed like that. I mean, she didn't even speak for over an hour and then she didn't show any joy in playing with her toys. The idea of Dean 'going away' like that, it crushed her."

Buffy heaved a shaky breath as her eyes welled with tears when she reflected upon Allie's anguished expression from the night before.

"Looks like mommy would be crushed too if that happened," Faith pointed.

"Yeah, of course I would be," Buffy admitted. "You know what he means to me, just like with any of you, I wouldn't want anything bad to happen and Allie, she doesn't hold back with the people she loves. She loves them with all of her heart."

"I know, that girl of yours has a lot of love to give," Faith acknowledged.

"That's why it's hard for her to really understand and accept why people go away, even when she asked about my mom, she said, 'that's not right, mommies and babies should be together always' and then she moped for awhile. But last night, believing that Dean went away, she refused to accept it."

Buffy let out another shaky breath as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

"I didn't realize just how much he's affected her life," she said softly. "Not that that's a bad thing, I just never realized that her bond ran so deep – that she'd have bad dreams about him."

After a brief silence, Buffy eyed Faith with an immensely apprehensive look.

"Is Andrew helping them with something….big?"

Faith shaded with a disapproving frown.

"Don't worry yourself about it B," she said sternly. "Whatever MIGHT be going on, you know we're all making sure you and the little doll are safe. We're taking care of the world; you take care of your girl."

Buffy settled back in her armchair and heaved a deep breath.

"I can't help it," she moaned. "I worry about each and every one of you. I know what you guys face every day, the danger that surrounds you. If something happened to one of you….I don't think Allie could handle it. I mean, she knows you're all busy but she expects to see everyone at some point."

"We're all looking out for each other," Faith stated. "Now I won't say too much about it, but if it will ease your mind, then yeah, Andrew, Giles and the rest of us are doing what we can to help out the brothers on something. But that's ALL I'll say.'

Buffy nodded in understanding, a degree of anxiety shedding from her face.

"So Dean hasn't dropped by lately?"

"No, not for several months," Buffy said. "Allie keeps asking me when she'll get to see him again. I've tried to make her understand why he can't visit all the time but it just makes her sad."

"Well, you've always said they have a bond that distance and absence can't take away," Faith pointed.

"Yeah, it can't," Buffy acknowledged. "It doesn't matter how much time goes by, she never forgets about him. I mean, he was the first face she saw when she came into the world. And I think….I really think she remembers that day, despite being a few minutes old, I don't know why, I just feel like she does."

"She has your awesome supergirl DNA, so, it's possible," Faith said.

When she heard the patter of soft footsteps, Buffy steered her eyes to the stairs as Allie ran down them.

"Hi baby, you feeling better? Auntie Faith stopped by for a quick visit."

Allie heaved a deep scowl.

"I don't feel good," she moaned.

"You probably need to eat something," Buffy said. "You didn't have breakfast or lunch."

Buffy tugged Allie into the kitchen as Faith followed behind.

"How about a little bit of fruit?"

Allie nodded as she climbed onto a step stool and looked over the fruit basket.

"Apple or banana?"

"Banana."

"Okay, you want a grilled cheese, peanut butter and jelly or a turkey sandwich?"

"Umm, grilled cheese."

"You got it sweetie," Buffy said as she peeled half of the banana. "Here you go."

Allie pushed away the hair hanging over her face and stuffed some of the banana in her mouth. Faith shuffled back into the kitchen with the presents, setting them on the island counter.

"Presents," Allie cooed.

"They're for you," Faith said. "Go ahead and open them."

As Buffy cooked up a grilled cheese sandwich, Allie ripped open a gift wrapped box.

"Pink pants!"

Buffy eyed the outfit as Allie took it out of the box. She cracked a grin as she looked over the toddler sized pink leather pants and a dark pink shirt that said, "Mommy's Lil Fighter".

"Oh my god, that's adorable Faith!" Buffy gasped.

Buffy weaved away from the stove and clutched the tee shirt.

"Where did you find this?"

"Ah, Briana found it in one of those tourist shops in Brazil," Faith said.

"I want to wear it now mommy."

Buffy shined a gratified grin when Allie bounced with excitement as she waved the outfit at her. Allie scowled and started tugging at her pajamas.

"It's daytime, I need to be in daytime clothes!" she roared enthusiastically.

As the smell of grilled cheese wafted through the air, Buffy eyed the stove.

"Maybe auntie Faith can help you while mommy finishes getting your lunch together?"

Faith was already crouched in front of Allie, unbuttoning her pajama top. Allie bounced on her feet as she waved the pink pants around.

"I love pink!"

A few minutes later, Faith finished dressing Allie as Buffy sliced the grilled cheese sandwich into quarters.

"Look mommy!"

Buffy gasped with glee as Allie spun around and then did a model pose.

"You look so cute Allie!"

"Is that my lunch?" Allie asked as she eyed the plate.

"Yep, have a seat, maybe Auntie Faith will eat the rest of these."

Allie shook her head as she climbed onto her chair.

"Imma eat it all!"

Buffy widened her eyes as Allie picked up one of the quarters.

"A whole sandwich? But you never eat that much."

"But I'm hungry!" Allie said through a bite.

Buffy and Faith watched Allie as she fervently ate up her quarter sandwich and then quickly picked up another.

"You got your mommy's appetite, don't you Al?" Faith said with a grin.

Allie nodded and shined a toothy grin.

"I love to eat! I love sandwiches!"

Allie took a big bite of her grilled cheese and smiled wide.

"Mmm, yummy!"

Buffy heaved a breath of relief as Allie seemed significantly better. Buffy plucked out drinks for the three of them as Faith started to take a seat at the table.

"No, auntie Faith, you can't sit there," Allie said. "That's Uncle Dean's chair."

Faith cracked an eyebrow up as Allie patted on the top of the chair.

"It is? Well, I didn't realize he had a 'usual' place to sit."

Faith shot a teasing look at Buffy as she poured drinks in cups.

"It's where he sits when he comes here," Allie replied. "Mommy makes him dinner."

Faith beamed a goofy grin at Buffy as she put a drink out for Allie.

"Oh, I wonder what else mommy gives him," Faith joked.

Buffy widened her eyes as Faith snickered. Allie guzzled some juice before she slipped off her chair and ran to Buffy.

"Mommy, where are my pictures?"

"What pictures sweetie?"

"The ones I drew this morning," Allie explained.

"Oh, I put them over here."

Allie shuffled alongside Buffy as she picked up some sheets of paper sitting on a counter. Allie grinned and clutched the colorful drawings, running back to the table. Buffy shined her curiosity as Allie climbed onto a chair and set the artwork down on the table. Allie sang softly as she fanned the sheets across the table and smiled.

"What are you doing Allie?" Buffy asked.

Allie stopped singing and patted one of her colored sheets.

"I put these out for Uncle Dean," she said. "For when he comes back for dinner."

Buffy gulped as Allie scooted off the chair and darted toward the living room. Buffy and Faith stood under the doorway of the living room, as Allie rustled though her toy bin.

"You didn't mention you made Dean dinner on his visits," Faith said, giving Buffy a teasing nudge.

"Uh, I don't really plan to, but he drives so far out to see Allie and by the time he gets here, it's usually her meal time, so….it just sort of happens that way."

"Still, it's a nice thing to do, I mean, I can't remember the last time I actually sat down to eat that wasn't in the car, or in the airport, or in a real chair for that matter, let alone eating something that didn't come from drive thru."

"I want to go to the park mommy!"

Allie bounced on her toes as she tugged on Buffy's sleeve.

"The one with the fountain!" Allie added.

Allie turned toward Faith and affectionately clung to her.

"Auntie Faith, want to come with me?" she asked with a bright smile.

Buffy glanced at Faith with an understanding look.

"If you can't stay, it's okay."

Faith checked the time on her watch.

"As long as I'm on the road by four, I'm good, so off to the park we go."

A short time later, Allie skipped through the park with Buffy and Faith. As they strolled through the grounds, several activities were going on at once. As they stopped at a coffee vendor in the park, Allie jumped excitedly and pointed across a field.

"Mommy! I want to do that!"

Buffy turned her eyes to the soccer field where kids aged five and six were involved in a game.

"Soccer huh?"

"I want to kick the ball!"

Hearing echoes of cheering from another side of the park, Allie tugged on Buffy's sleeve and pointed.

"I want to do that too!"

"Soccer AND Tball? My goodness Allie, mommy can barely get you to dance class on time."

Allie shrugged good naturedly as Buffy firmed up her grip on her hand.

"I like to play," Allie said.

Buffy paused at the edge of the sandbox, taking out Allie's bucket and shovel. Allie squealed as she circled the sand box, looking for a spot among the crowds of children. Allie plucked down on the sand and began digging with her shovel as Buffy and Faith settled on a pair of tree stumps lining the edge of the sandbox.

After a few minutes, a basketball bounced into the sandbox and rolled to a stop in front of Allie. Allie grinned as she dropped her shovel and curled her arms around the ball. Buffy hopped to her feet and scurried over as Allie possessively clutched the ball.

"Basketball!" Allie roared.

"Allie, that's not yours sweetie."

Allie shook her head and scowled.

"But I want it," she moaned.

Buffy sighed as Allie turned away from her. When a little boy entered her periphery, Buffy swung her eyes to see Tyler staring at Allie with a bashful expression.

"Oh see Allie, that belongs to Tyler," Buffy said gently. "Would you please give it back?"

Allie huffed as Tyler stood back, waiting for his dad. Buffy heaved another sigh as Rick trotted over with a congenial expression.

"Allie, give back the basketball to Tyler," Buffy said in a firmer tone. "It's not yours."

Buffy knelt down in front of Allie, meeting her eyes.

"Remember how we don't take other people's toys Allie?"

Allie looked at Tyler as she drew a mope.

"That's his basketball?"

"Yes, so would you please give it back?"

Allie stared at Tyler for second before she ran over and held out the basketball.

"Here, I give it back!" she said.

Tyler looked up at his dad, not saying a word. Rick gently took the ball and smiled down at Allie as Buffy joined her.

"Thank you very much," he said.

Buffy sucked in a breath as Rick met her eyes.

"She's adorable."

"Thanks."

"I'm Allie!"

Allie grinned and waved. Rick laughed as he shuffled the hair on top of Tyler's head.

"Hello Allie, I'm Rick and this is my son Tyler."

Allie waved at Tyler and then clapped her hands on her knees and tilted toward him.

"Hi Tyler! How are you?"

Buffy gasped in amazement as she looked at Allie.

"Oh, when do you start saying that?"

Allie looked up at Buffy with wide eyes and shrugged.

"You say it on the phone!"

Allie ran back to her spot in the sand and went back to playing as Tyler hung against Rick. Buffy shook her head, still reeling with amazement.

"Well, we're off, see you around," Rick said with a friendly smile.

"Um yeah, I hope you're enjoying those classes."

"Yes, we are. Come on Ty."

Buffy drifted back to Faith and noticed the big, silly grin on her face as she watched Rick walking away.

"Geez B, you're quite the babe magnet huh?"

Faith snickered as Buffy checked on Allie, playing happily with her shovel and bucket.

"Uh oh, you mean Rick?"

"Yeah duh," Faith snorted. "I wasn't prying but I picked up on that sexy accent, add that in with the looks and woah, flip him over and dress him with syrup cause I want a piece of that."

Buffy giggled at Faith's goofy grin.

"Yeah, you and all the other women in this town feel the same way."

Faith mocked a fierce look as she playfully cracked her knuckles.

"I could take 'em all down."

Buffy giggled again as she swung her eyes back to Allie. 

"So why didn't you mention anything about him?"

Buffy glanced at Faith, who was studying her curiously,

"There isn't anything to mention," Buffy insisted. "He's a kickboxing instructor at the community center and comes into the Learning Train with his son a few times a week."

"So no mom in the picture?"

Buffy heaved a sigh as Faith pumped her eyebrows.

"I don't think so, I'm not really sure though," Buffy said. "I haven't really had in depth conversations with him at work. But the word around town is that Rick's a nice, normal, stable guy."

"Ah, right, and we don't like normal, stable guys," Faith joked.

Buffy checked on Allie happily burying some sticks in the sand.

"It's not that I don't like them," Buffy sighed. "It's just, well, considering the last 'normal' guy I got involved with let himself get possessed by a demon, me and normal guys – don't tend to work out, you know, because at some point, they're going to figure out that I'm…."

"More awesome than they are," Faith finished. "Yeah, it takes a real man to be with girls like us."

Buffy turned her eyes on Allie as she began to sing while digging up her newly planted sticks in the sand.

"Not to mention being able to handle the whole, "my girlfriend used to fight demons and stopped the end of the world" thing. And then there's just that awkward beginning where I have to pretend to be someone I'm not or hide things about myself. I've been through that and I'm tired of…being disappointed….it's just not worth the time."

"Well, you and undead guys haven't exactly worked out either,' Faith pointed.

Buffy let out a sigh and briefly hung her eyes to the ground.

"Yeah, I know, it's pretty much a given that I'm gonna be in this on my own," she said. "And you know, it's perfectly fine with me. I've accepted it, I really have, I mean, I'm happy with my life. Allie is so fulfilling and when you have someone you love so completely, you don't feel like you're missing out."

Buffy brightened with a deeply gratified grin as Faith crooked her eyebrows in wonder.

"I'll just have to take your word for it B," Faith said. "Cuz me, I've been so busy I've missed out on everything, a warm meal, a good night's sleep, a hot, male body lying next to me in bed….."

Faith beamed a grin and pumped her eyes wide. Buffy tilted back and giggled deeply.

"Well, you can always get the first two things on your visits here," Buffy said. "But that last one, sorry, can't really help you there."

Faith waved a hand through the air and shrugged.

"That's alright," she said. "You're super mommy now, your focus should be on Allie, a hundred percent, like you said. BUT, if that 'real' man DOES happen by, don't be so quick to look away…..just saying, you never know. I mean, look at where you are, who would have ever thought you'd be living in a small town raising a great little girl."

Buffy nodded and widened her eyes in realization.

"I sure didn't," she said.

As a soft alarm chimed, Faith heaved a sigh, tapping on her watch.

"I gotta motor," she groaned.

Buffy nodded in understanding as she rose to her feet and drifted over to Allie.

"Allie, auntie Faith has to go, come say goodbye!"

Allie shot to her feet and raced toward Faith. Faith crouched down as Allie threw her arms around her.

"Bye auntie Faith!" she roared. "Come see me again soon, okay?"

Faith glowed with a silly smile as she flicked the tip of Allie's nose.

"You bet."

Buffy collected Allie's hand and pivoted toward the playground exit.

"We'll walk you to your car."

"Nah, that's okay B, you stay and have more fun with your lil fighter," Faith insisted. "I'll see you gals."

Allie grinned and waved as Faith strolled off.

"Bye! Drive safe!" Allie said emphatically.

Buffy rocked back on her heels and reeled with amazement.

"Wow Allie, you've learned so many new phrases this month."

Allie tugged Buffy to the swing set and then bounced on her toes. Buffy plucked Allie into the swing and gently set her off.

"That was so nice that your auntie Faith stopped in to see you huh?"

Allie squealed as her feet graced the skyline.

"Uh huh! I like to see people!"

"Oh, well your Uncle Xander and Auntie Willow are coming out next week for a visit too," Buffy said.

Allie widened her eyes in excitement.

"They are? I love them!"

Buffy giggled at Allie's endearing smile.

"They love you too," Buffy professed. "They all love you so much."

Buffy pushed Allie on the swing, prompting the little girl to giggle heartily.

"They'd do anything for you."

One week later:

Dean trudged through the motel room, his face riddled with a mixture of anger and sorrow as he dumped a brown bag on the table. Sam was on his bed, clutching his phone against his ear, scribbling notes. Dean took out two bottles of whisky from the brown bag and quickly cracked one open.

"…..my brother just walked in Giles, can I switch you to speakerphone?"

Dean flared with dismay as Sam scooted off the bed and set his phone on the table.

"Okay Giles, we're both listening," Sam prompted.

"Hello Dean, as I was saying to your brother earlier, Willow and her coven circles have made significant progress in identifying a spell powerful enough to take on Lucifer. Using the combined energy of these coven circles, Willow believes she can summon Lucifer and trap him within an 'ultravoid' – a pocket of atmosphere between this world and others, a waiting room of sorts that does not have any entry or exit."

"So like a purgatory?" Sam assessed.

"Yes," Giles said. "Lucifer would be imprisoned for eternity as he was in the underworld."

Feeling an instinct, Dean leaned over the table and spoke into the phone.

"Why do I get the feeling this is a good news-worse news thing?"

After a brief pause, Giles sighed in acknowledgment.

"Unfortunately, the heightened activity within the covens these past few days must have gotten back to Lucifer. Late last evening, he and a bevy of his demons attacked Willow and several of her colleagues to stop them from performing the spell."

"Was anyone hurt?" Sam asked anxiously.

"Regretfully, yes," Giles said. "Several girls suffered some minor injuries but Willow shielded them from grave harm. As a result, she sustained most of the attacks from Lucifer. She has been hospitalized and is under intensive care as we speak."

Sam and Dean exchanged rueful looks as Giles continued.

"We are hopeful she will make a speedy recovery," Giles said.

Sam showed a glimmer of optimism while Dean looked crestfallen.

"I know she will," Sam said encouragingly.

Dean shook his head as he ambled toward the window.

"Dammit, I knew this would happen," he grunted. "I knew the minute you guys signed up for this, Lucifer would start hunting you down."

Dean bellowed with a sigh as his face flooded with remorse and self-contempt.

"It is always a risk in our business when you stand against the forces of evil," Giles stated.

"Well maybe you should pack up and retreat Giles, cuz one by one, Lucifer is picking off your people." Dean said bluntly. "And that's not gonna stop any time soon. So just stop risking your asses for us man, it ain't worth it."

"Dean," Sam said in a scolding tone.

Dean ignored Sam as he huffed deeply.

"I mean no disrespect here Giles," Dean grunted into the cell phone. "But since you've been helping us, our situation hasn't gotten any better. We're still gettin' our asses kicked."

"Yes, admittedly, Lucifer has proven to be quite the formidable opponent," Giles replied. "However, accepting defeat is what he anticipates."

"I agree, we can't give up," Sam said urgently.

Sam studied his brother as Dean stared at the phone for a brief moment.

"I have a meeting this evening with an expert on archangels and the fall of Lucifer, he has many comprehensive journals and texts that perhaps may shed new light," Giles said. "I will contact you in the morning with an update."

"Okay," Sam said.

"No," Dean said flatly. "Seriously Giles, no more, alright? We're kicking a dead dog here, if the big man upstairs was on our side, one of your leads should have gone our way, but week after week, we get another mouthful of nothing, cuz he doesn't give a crap!"

A long silence passed through the other line as Dean picked up the bottle of whisky and charged out the door, slamming it shut behind him. Sam fidgeted in his stance as he cleared his throat.

"Um, I'm sorry about that Giles," Sam moaned.

"It is alright Sam," Giles said forgivingly. "I can imagine the frustration you and your brother are feeling that we have not found an effective way to stop Lucifer yet. I am utilizing all of my resources and contacts for this purpose so please do not be dissuaded by the outcome of previous events."

Sam heaved a sigh but remained hopeful.

"Okay Giles, we appreciate your help," Sam said.

"I will speak with you tomorrow."

Sam hung up the phone and then drifted through the door. He spotted Dean leaning against the trunk of the Impala, guzzling whisky straight from the bottle.

"Hey," Sam said softly.

Dean shifted his steely eyes on Sam for a moment before looking off down the dark street. Seeing a very familiar woeful look knotting over his brother's face, Sam buried his hands in his pockets and leaned against the side of the car, treading very carefully onto a delicate subject.

"Um, you know, Andrew sent me a bunch of stuff that I need to read through and we haven't lined a job up yet so…..if you want to take off for awhile….make a trip….we can meet up sometime tomorrow…."

Dean glared dubiously at Sam. "Make a trip? Where is it I'm supposed to go huh?"

Sam shrugged as Dean guzzled down some more whisky.

"I just meant, if there's somewhere, some place you want to go for awhile, I understand," Sam said gently.

Dean scoffed resentfully as he rained another glare at Sam.

"If it'll help, you should go," Sam urged.

Dean narrowed his eyes on Sam's knowing look before he shrugged and looked away.

"Will you just shut up about this already?"

"Dean," Sam sighed.

Dean hitched his hand up and shook his head.

"Don't Sam," he barked. "Just don't. I'm going for a walk."

Dean released a disgruntled breath as he pushed away from the car and started wandering down the sidewalk. After blowing off several steam loaded breaths, Dean halted under a rusty street lamp and hung his eyes to the ground. As much as he wanted to pay a visit, to bask in the solace of seeing Buffy and Allie in their happy lives, he couldn't allow himself. And though in the past he had failed to carry out his own wishes, he had to stick to his guns and stay away. If he showed up now, with the world's end encroaching quickly, he would only be reminded of the peaceful life he was about to shatter for the greatest girl he had ever met.

As sharp pangs of remorse thundered through him, Dean polished off the whisky bottle and chucked it in the trash. He drew a baleful look up at the sky and flared with bitterness.

"Wherever you are Big Poppa, if you can hear me, just know this you sonofabitch," Dean grunted. "If you let them die, if you let any harm come to 'em, I'm gonna hunt you down and kick your ass for eternity, I swear."

As the air and sky remained still in response, Dean shook his head and uttered a sigh before bounding further down the sidewalk.


	13. Chapter 13

**Ch. 13 Goodbye Blue Sky**

This update covers episode 99 Problems. The song You Are My Sunshine was written by Jimmie Davis. I do not own. Thanks to everyone who has continued to read this story. There is one chapter left.

* * *

_A few days later:_

Buffy heaved a deep sigh as Allie incessantly wiggled on her little pink stool.

"Allie, will you please sit still so I can finish braiding your hair?"

Allie kicked her feet out and shook her head.

"Mommy, why your hair still yellow?"

Allie slumped against Buffy and pouted deeply.

"I don't want you to have yellow hair!" she moaned. "We have to match."

"We do match," Buffy stated. "People always compliment us on how cute we look because of our matching clothes."

Allie shook her head as she gently tugged on a lock of Buffy's hair.

"But your hair is yellow," she cried. "I don't like it! It's not like mine!"

Buffy stared into her little girl's glistening hazel eyes, absorbing the deep disapproval knitting over her face.

"You really don't like mommy's hair?"

"No! It's not brown! I don't look like you."

Buffy sucked in a breath as Allie shaded with a sad pout. Behind Allie's green eyes were flecks of gray and her dark brown hair had grown even deeper. Buffy swallowed back the small but significant pangs of painful memories stirred by Allie's burgeoning likeness to her father. She cupped a hand under Allie's chin and gave her a loving smile.

"You do," Buffy affirmed. "You look like me in every way sweetie. From the way you pout…"

Buffy playfully tapped Allie's lower lip.

"To the way your eyebrows crinkle when you're mad."

Allie shook her head and scowled deeper.

"Nooooo!" Allie wailed. "I don't want you to have yellow hair!"

Allie burst into mad tears as her little hands curled into fists. Buffy let out a long breath as she anticipated a tantrum.

"Allie, you and I are the same in every way," she said. "It doesn't matter whether your hair is brown or yellow or green. I'm your mom and you're my girl, nothing will ever change that."

Allie moped deeply as Buffy finished up her two long braids.

"There!" Buffy said. "Hair's done, we just need your shoes and then we have to get going to Zoe's house."

"No, I don't wanna go to Zoe's house," Allie roared. "I don't want yellow hair on your head!"

Allie darted off her stool and raced out of the bedroom. Buffy released a sigh as she took chase after Allie down the stairs.

"Allie, we need to go now."

"No!" Allie said defiantly as she hid behind the coat rack.

Buffy crinkled her brows in exasperation as Allie deepened her scowl.

"I don't wanna go out," Allie groaned. "Not with your yellow hair! I don't like it! I don't like it!"

Allie edged away from behind the coat rack and launched toward the kitchen.

"I'm not going! You have stinky yellow hair!"

Buffy cut Allie off as she tore through the side entryway. She gently snatched Allie by the hands and drew a stern frown.

"Allie, don't say things like that, it's not very nice," she said. "Now stop all this fuss please."

Allie moped deeply as Buffy collected her play shoes and a light jacket. Buffy shaded with maternal concern as Allie thickened her mope of disapproval.

"You're going to have so much fun at Olive's party," Buffy enthused. "Zoe's going to have everyone frost cupcakes. OH, and Olive just got a new puppy. I saw a picture of her, she's really cute."

Allie's mope quickly faded as her eyes sparked with glee.

"Puppy! I wanna play with the puppy."

"Well, we better get going if you want to," Buffy said.

"Okay! Let's go!"

Allie wiggled her hips and hands as she strutted toward the door.

A few minutes later, after settling Allie in her car seat, Buffy took in her endearingly sweet expression.

"You would look SO pretty with brown hair mommy."

Buffy giggled at Allie's overly expressive grin.

"Oh, you're trying to charm me into changing my 'yellow' hair, huh?"

"Nooooo," Allie cooed before she burst into a giggle.

* * *

A short time later, Buffy set Allie down on a grassy backyard adorned in pink streamers and balloons. A dozen little girls were squealing happily as they jumped around a bouncy house. Allie lit up with a smile as she ran toward a little girl with curly brown hair.

Allie squealed and giggled as she and the little girl met up and hugged.

"Oh! How precious!" Buffy gasped in delight. "You love Olive don't you?"

"Uh huh!" Allie roared.

As a reddish brown puppy scampered across the lawn, Olive took Allie's hand and widened her eyes.

"Have you seen my puppy?"

"No, I wanna see!" Allie said.

In a brief moment, the puppy halted to a stop at Olive's feet. Allie boldly approached the puppy and began petting its head. The puppy panted happily and licked Allie's hand with a pink tongue. Allie giggled as the puppy greeted her. Buffy shined a maternal smile at Allie's sheer joy illuminated her face.

"Happy Birthday Olive," Buffy exalted.

"Thank you," Olive cooed. "This is my puppy Apple!"

Buffy cracked a goofy smile as she crouched down to pet the puppy. Zoe strolled over to her daughter and passed Buffy a welcoming smile.

"You named her Apple?" Buffy said.

"Uh huh," Olive said.

Buffy widened her smile and nodded as the puppy affectionately licked her face.

"Can I play now mommy?" Allie asked.

"Yeah, go on and have fun."

Allie squealed as she raced toward the bouncy house with Olive. Zoe perched beside Buffy and grinned.

"Allie has grown into such a sweet, beautiful girl Buffy," Zoe said.

Buffy beamed with pride as she watched Allie interacting with her friends and a few new faces. Allie energetically waved and talked to all the new little girls.

"And she's very social apparently," Zoe added.

"Oh yeah, she loves meeting new people," Buffy affirmed. "She's not a shy one."

After watching the little girls play, Buffy walked over to the patio deck where the adults were gathered around a table set with various snacks.

"Sorry we were late," Buffy lamented. "I was dealing with a popular complaint from the under four critics."

When Buffy was met by a curious look from Zoe, she tugged on a lock of her hair.

"Allie is still unhappy with my 'yellow stinky hair'," she explained before drawing an amused smile.

Zoe glanced at Olive and Allie

"Oh, what about that tip I gave you telling her the 'you've got my so and so'."

"She didn't buy it," Buffy sighed. "To her brown and yellow don't match."

Zoe took a quick study of Buffy as they padded up the patio deck stairs.

"Well, you'd look nice as a brunette. I mean Olive was dying to go take ballet classes with her cousin up at Canyon Shores, an hour away, not to mention it's at four thirty, so I'm hitting rush hour but the look on her face at the thought of telling her no…."

Buffy nodded as her face knitted with sympathy.

"You can't stand to break her little heart, yeah," she acknowledged.

"The things we do for our kids to make them happy, huh?"

Buffy checked on Allie as she scrambled inside the bouncy house and began jumping at a maddening rate. The air was painted with high pitched gleeful cries from the little girls inside. Buffy watched Allie and soaked in the sounds of her squeals as she sprung the bouncy house.

"Yeah," Buffy replied as she unconsciously stroked a lock of her hair.

"Well, grab a plate, we're still waiting on a few people," Zoe replied.

Buffy widened her eyes and cracked a sheepish look.

"Oh, my, god, I forgot the cookies on the counter!" she gasped. "I got so wrapped up in trying to get Allie out the door that they slipped my mind. I'm sorry."

Buffy sighed in disappointment while Zoe smiled forgivingly.

"It's okay Buffy. I have plenty of cupcakes for the kids and Rick is bringing a dessert dish later."

"Rick? You mean….um, Outback Rick?"

Zoe frowned with wonder as more glee filled squeals filled the air.

"We just know him as Rick," Zoe clarified. "But if you mean, the hot new guy in town that all the women are throwing goo goo eyes at, then yeah."

Zoe chortled deeply as Buffy shined an awkward look.

"I didn't realize you knew him or that he lived around here."

"Oh, Danny knows him better," Zoe said. "He and Rick are coaching the community youth league soccer team this year."

"Ah, so Danny found a guy friend finally, huh?"

"Yeah, but I told him not to bug Rick about hanging out all the time," Zoe said. "I guess he just wants to enjoy some guy time before Eva arrives because then it's a house full of chicks, in his words."

Buffy giggled and then beamed a maternal smile as she glanced at Zoe's small baby bump beneath a light blue peasant top. Zoe blew out a breath and patted her belly.

"Seventeen weeks along," Buffy said. "I remember it like it was yesterday."

Buffy folded into a deck chair as an eight year old boy shuffled toward Zoe and moped.

"Hey Carson, what's wrong?"

"When's Uncle Danny gonna be back?" he moaned.

Zoe ruffled the hair on his head and drew an amused smile.

"You that bored kiddo?"

"This is a girl party."

Buffy and Zoe laughed together as the boy sat down on the steps and sighed.

"He should be back in about a half hour," Zoe said. "And Rick and Tyler are swinging by for a little bit too so all you boys can play basketball. In the meantime, get some lunch. Your mom says you're not eating as much."

"She's on this new diet of green food," Carson moaned. "Yucky stuff like spinach and broccoli. You know what happens when you eat green food all day? Your poop and pee comes out green!"

Buffy stifled a laugh as Zoe looked mortified.

"We don't talk about what goes on in the bathroom," Zoe said sternly. "Now get some lunch and I'll talk to my sister about feeding you non green food."

"Can I eat inside? You're not gonna make me sit at those tables are you?"

Buffy stifled another laugh as Carson drew a disgusted look at all the bright pink decorations dressing the tables.

"Yeah, that's fine," Zoe sighed.

As Carson dove into the lunch buffet, Zoe shook her head and eyed Buffy.

"Boys," she said. "A whole different story you know?"

"Yeah, I can only imagine," Buffy said.

A few minutes later, Buffy got Allie settled for lunch. Buffy drew a sigh of satisfaction as Allie ate happily while sitting next to Olive. After helping herself to a plate, Buffy sat down at an empty table next to Allie's just as the driveway echoed with boisterous noise. As Danny greeted his girls, Allie skipped over to Buffy, Apple following behind her.

"Mommy, can Apple come home with us?"

"Apple is Olive's dog sweetie," Buffy pointed. "This is where she lives with her family. If she comes home with us, they would all miss her very much."

Allie affectionately hugged the little dog and moped.

"But I want a puppy at our home," she moaned.

"Let mommy think about it some more okay?"

"Okay! Let's come inside for cupcake time!"

All the little girls squealed and filed into the kitchen as Zoe handed each their own pink party apron. Buffy helped tie the aprons on the girls before she noticed Rick and Tyler putting cupcakes and spatulas on squares of wax paper.

"Pink frosting!" Allie cried giddily.

Buffy sat down with Allie, helping her scoop out a small portion from a paper cup.

"Not too much sweetie, just a little on the top and then you spread it around like this."

"I want to do it!"

Allie stood up on the chair and leaned over the frosting cup, sticking her finger inside. She licked the frosting and grinned before she dunked her hand in the cup.

"Oh Allie," Buffy moaned.

Allie fervently licked the frosting from her hand as Buffy gently snatched her wrist.

"You're gonna get sick if you eat all of that."

Allie frowned as she tried to loosen her hand from Buffy's hold. As Buffy put the frosting cup away, Allie started sobbing.

"I want frosting!"

"No, you can't have anymore," Buffy said sternly. "You can eat a little of the cupcake but without frosting."

Buffy plucked a spare cupcake from the counter and broke a piece off for Allie. Allie scowled and shook her head.

"I want frosting!"

Buffy mustered her patience, blowing out a deep breath when she noticed Tyler at the table, holding a small paper bowl in front of Allie. Allie stopped sobbing and looked into the bowl.

"What's this?" she asked.

"Fruit," Tyler answered very softly. "I made it."

Buffy widened her eyes in surprise when she heard Tyler's speaking voice for the first time. Tyler went back to his dad and gathered several more paper bowls, handing them out to the girls at the tables.

"Mmm, yumm-ee!" Allie cooed.

Buffy shifted her eyes to see Allie chewing on a mouthful of raisins and green apples.

"Oh, you like fruit salad?"

Allie nodded as she stuffed another handful in her mouth. Olive skipped over to Allie and grabbed her hand.

"Wanna open presents with me?" Olive asked.

"Yeah!"

As the party moved into living room for present opening, Buffy started tossing dirty paper plates into the trash bin.

"I've got it."

Rick stepped in and yanked the full trash bag out of the bin as Carson and Tyler ran their toy airplanes along the floor.

"Oh um, okay."

Rick tied off the trash bag and tossed it in the bin in the backyard, ruffling the hair on Tyler's head as he passed by. When he returned, Rick started rinsing dirty dishes under the sink, setting them in the dishwasher.

"Oh Rick, you don't have to do that," Zoe said as she ran in to get a notepad. "Just leave it for Danny later."

"It's okay, I insist. It's the least I could do for inviting us over," Rick said.

"Well, thank you," Zoe said.

Buffy furrowed her brows with curiosity when Zoe threw her a look before walking out of the kitchen. Buffy let it go as she collected all the half eaten cupcakes from the table.

"So um that was the first time I've heard Tyler say a word. He must be getting braver," she remarked.

Rick threw a paternal smile at Tyler as he made an airplane engine's sputtering sound.

"He's getting there," Rick acknowledged. "When he's in a familiar environment, he's a bit more comfortable but it still takes an effort to get him to say whole sentences. We're working on it."

"Oh, well, that's good," Buffy said. "And can I just say that you helped me stave off one of Allie's mad tantrums with – of all things – FRUIT SALAD."

"It's a little trick I learned from my niece," Rick revealed. "Whenever she gets a little picky about food and won't listen to an adult, her mum sends Ty in to distract her. She's more receptive to eating the same things as a kid around her age than what a grown up says she should."

"Ah, that makes sense," Buffy said. "Did Tyler really make the salad or did you just let him take the credit for it?"

"It was Tyler's special recipe," Rick said. "He created the recipe and put the ingredients together all by himself. I just helped with the simple syrup."

Buffy widened her eyes as she stared at Tyler.

"Really?"

"Yep, he loves to cook, isn't that right Ty?"

Rick cupped a hand on Tyler's shoulder. Tyler crashed his airplane into the floor but nodded his head.

"Do you ever cook with Allie?"

Buffy rocked back on her heels and widened her eyes even more.

"Are you kidding? I can barely get her to sit still to EAT dinner," she said. "If I tried to cook with her, it would probably take….DAYS."

Allie ran into the kitchen and clung to Buffy.

"Mommy, I want more fruit salad."

Buffy shined a pleased smile as she picked up a bowl from the island counter.

"Okay, here you go."

Allie grinned as she picked out some fruit.

"You know that Tyler made that. So you should thank him for bringing it."

"Thank you!"

Allie took another handful and then tugged on Buffy's sleeve.

"Mommy, Olive got Barbies! Come see! Come see!"

"Okay."

"Have fun," Rick said.

Buffy eyed Rick, returning his polite smile as she walked away with Allie.

* * *

_Very late that evening:_

Dean frowned curiously as he heard a faint pop song from behind the bathroom door. After he shut off the sink valves, he pushed the door open and found Sam settled behind his laptop watching something on screen. When the sputter of giggles rang familiar in his memories, Dean tensed as he eyed Sam.

To his dismay, Sam was engrossed in a video montage of Allie participating in different activities. Fancy special effects and flash images of Allie flashed on screen as she raced toward a finish line, far ahead of the rest of the kids in her class. As the camera faded out, bold text appeared on screen announcing: An Andrew Wells Production.

Sam let out a breath in amazement.

"She's fast like her mom," he remarked with a respectful smile.

The camera zoomed in on Allie looking at a picture book. Buffy's voice was heard in the background asking her questions.

"What animal is that?"

"That's a lion!"

"And what about….that one?"

"That's a rhino!"

"And what is that?"

"That's an elephant! They live in Africa!"

The camera held on Allie's cherub expression for a second before transitioning to another quaint shot of her sitting at a pink picnic table in the backyard. As she colored on a large piece of paper, she began humming softly.

"Allie, will you sing the song you learned in daycare for all your aunts and uncles?"

"Um….okay!"

Allie put down her crayon and turned toward the camera. She folded her hands in her lap and grinned.

"Okay, go ahead sweetie."

"Um…."

Allie licked her lips as she looked to be in a deep thought. As she began to sing, bright graphics of flowers danced along the screen.

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me hap-py, when skies are grey!"

Allie giggled and bounced on her seat as a picturesque background of the sun and blue sky floated behind her and cartoon birds flew over the screen.

"You'll never know dear, how much I love you….."

Allie hugged herself as a rainbow of hearts flooded the screen.

"Please don't take my sunshine away…."

While Sam reeled with awe, Dean swallowed the waves of agony soaring through his heart as that precious little Summers graced his mind again. In his best effort to keep his memories of Allie capped, he had avoided visiting the webpage and had stuffed all of her pictures, including the one he'd discreetly carried in his wallet – in a box of miscellaneous parts. But as he took in Allie's mellifluous tone, he felt himself slowly lifting out of the depths of his chronic despair.

"Aw, that was so good Allie."

The camera shook as Buffy collected Allie in her arms and angled the lens toward them. Dean stamped his eyes shut as the golden haired champion of the world appeared on screen beaming with a deeply maternal glow.

"What do we want to wish to all your aunties and uncles?" Buffy prompted.

Allie looked at Buffy for a moment for guidance. Buffy mouthed a few words to her before Allie lit up with a grin.

"Be safe wherever you are!" she roared. "We love you!"

Allie waved goodbye as the screen faded to black.

"Wow," Sam gasped. "Allie is amazing. Buffy must be really proud."

Dean quickly collected himself as Sam glanced at him.

"What are you looking at that for? How do you even know about that?"

Sam heaved a sigh as he absorbed his brother's annoyed look.

"I was on the phone with Andrew and he mentioned that he uploaded some new videos and asked me to take a look at it. He wouldn't let me hang up until I watched one. I couldn't help but be curious after that - I mean, you've met her and since you never offer anything about her, I just started…..exploring."

Sam batted away the distant glare beaming from his brother.

"Buffy seems really happy in her life and that's a blessing," Sam said. "It's a reason to keep fighting."

Sam flashed Dean a knowing look.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Sam stared back at his brother's stony glare and sighed.

"Never mind," he muttered.

After a tense moment of silence, Dean shuffled over to the fridge and took out a beer.

"Did Andrew call with something important or did he just want to hear your soft, soothing voice before he went to bed?" he jeered.

Sam rolled his eyes and ignored Dean's smirk.

"He had news on Willow's condition. She opened her eyes a few days ago and is breathing on her own. She's been moved out of intensive care."

"Well, finally something good's come out of all this crap," Dean remarked.

"Yeah," Sam acceded.

Sam got up and pivoted toward the bathroom.

"I'm gonna hit the shower," he said. "You want me to….leave this on?"

Sam nodded toward his laptop still displaying Allie's webpage as an Easter slideshow played.

"No," Dean answered quickly.

Catching his brother staring at the website, Sam raised an eyebrow in doubt.

"You sure?"

Hearing the questioning tone in Sam's voice, Dean pulled his eyes from the computer screen but the latest images of Allie had already stuck permanently in his mind. He clenched his jaw, staving off the moisture gathering in his throat as the pictures of Allie wearing pink bunny ears burned in his memory. He shook his head as the past Easter holiday only reminded him of her approaching birthday – a birthday she wasn't going to live to see if he didn't find a way to stop the Apocalypse. As his face knotted with frustration and remorse, he stamped his eyes shut for a long minute.

"Dean? You okay?"

Sam shaded with concern as Dean remained silent, grumbling under his breath. After another long moment, Dean rolled open his eyes and began rubbing the back of his neck. He abruptly collapsed Sam's laptop before he fetched his beer and polished it off.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm okay," he sighed.

Sam perched under the bathroom doorway as Dean took another beer out of the fridge and popped it open. Feeling the weight of skeptical eyes, Dean heaved an exasperated breath and frowned at Sam.

"I said I'm okay," he snapped.

Sam hesitated for a minute before closing the bathroom door. Bristling with anxiety and anger, Dean paced fervently around the room before he let out a heavy sigh. He yanked the rest of the beer from the fridge and bounded out the front door. He walked briskly to his car and folded onto the hood, taking a long sip of beer. As he stared off into the night, the faint sounds of a child's heartfelt plea began to weigh on his conscience.

_Please don't take my sunshine away. _

Dean crushed his empty beer can as Allie's soulful eyes flared brightly in his mind.

_Please don't take my sunshine away._

Dean snapped open another beer and guzzled it down as his hand began shaking violently from the stir of horrific images flashing before his eyes – a bright sun in the blue sky choked by the dawn of the Apocalypse, millions of happy people destroyed by the hour, the smell of flowers turned sour by the stench of death everywhere, dead bodies littering the water, the sandy shores, the backyards of a small town in Illinois…..

As his anger threatened to boil over, Dean pushed away the dark snapshots flickering in his mind. He washed the thick well of tears hanging in his throat with another beer as his eyes drifted to the dark sky. As he stared heavenward, he forced himself to hang onto the last thread of hope.

If he couldn't save everyone, maybe he could save a few…..

* * *

_The next morning:_

Buffy crooked her eyebrows curiously as she ambled out to the main lobby to find a bunch of her coworkers gathered behind the reception desk, watching TV. She gently weaved through the crowd as several employees whispered to each other. On screen was a live newscast reporting from a small town on the coast of Maine.

"…..the scientific community attributes the fishing crisis to the recent bout of unusual weather fluctuations affecting the Eastern United States….."

Buffy stared at the wide shot of hundreds of dead fish floating in the water and littering the sandy shore. She swallowed the uneasiness churning in her stomach as her ears peaked with the sounds of little footsteps echoing nearby. Buffy gently pushed through the crowd and switched the channel to a children's program. A breath later, a dozen little boys and girls spilled into the hallway and flooded the snack station.

Buffy squeezed a breath out of her lungs as the room flooded with hyper kids. She blinked rapidly out of her momentary daze as she went to assist with distributing water and juice to the kids.

"You okay Buffy? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Buffy slowly shifted her eyes to see Janie handing out small apples to a field of hyper kids.

"Uh, yeah…..I'm fine, I just….got lost in a thought."

As Buffy stared blankly out the window, she quickly shook off her anxiety and focused on passing out drinks.

"Ah, that thought wouldn't happen to be tall, Australian and handsome, would it?"

Buffy cocked an eyebrow as she looked up at Janie, taking in her goofy grin.

"Huh?"

When Janie nodded through the recreation room window, Buffy noticed Rick and Tyler in the lobby. She glanced at Janie and chuckled awkwardly.

"Uh, no, that wasn't the thought," she said.

"Oh," Janie sighed. "Because I was gonna share in the same thought if you did."

Buffy snorted in amusement as all the children in the rec area chomped happily on their snacks while their parents casually strolled inside. When the second wave of dismissed kids spilled into the rec area, Buffy kept fervent watch for Allie as the air was blanketed with lively chatter.

Buffy beamed a wide grin as Allie skipped into the rec room in her dance outfit of red yoga pants, a white tee shirt with the Learning Train emblem and a red headband. She crouched down as Allie ran toward her with a toothy grin.

"Hi sweetie, how was class?"

Allie nodded as she pushed a loose tendril from her face.

"I love it! I got to spin around and around until I got dizzy!'

Buffy giggled at Allie's endearing expression as she twirled around.

"Oh, you love spinning around until you're dizzy huh? Let's get your snacks, okay?"

Allie nodded as Buffy took her hand and guided her through the throngs of kids to the snack table. Allie snatched a juice bottle from the table as Buffy reached for a paper cup of blueberries. Allie scowled at the paper cup and pushed Buffy's hand away.

"I don't want that," Allie groaned.

Buffy shined her surprise as more kids filed into the rec area.

"What? But you love blueberries," Buffy pointed. "You always want them when I go to the store."

Allie shook her head as she held the juice bottle up to Buffy.

"I don't like them," Allie said. "They're yucky. Open this please!"

Buffy reeled with amazement as she pried the cap off the bottle and gave it back to Allie.

"Oh, okay, blueberries yucky this month, check," Buffy said.

Allie sucked down some juice as Buffy pointed out the other snack selections.

"What's that?" Allie asked as she sniffed some orange fruit.

"Those are mandarin oranges," Buffy said. "You want to try?"

Allie nodded as she scooped a mandarin slice out of the cup and popped it in her mouth. After a few chews she grinned up at Buffy.

"Mmmm! Yummy! I want more please!"

Buffy picked out another cup of oranges and handed it to Allie. Allie clutched her juice bottle and zipped over to an empty seat at one of tables. Buffy shined her marvel as Allie waved at a new little girl and the two ate together at the table.

"I thought Allie would go for the blueberries," Janie said as she dropped her empty basket on the snack table.

"We're anti blueberries this month," Buffy informed.

"Oh, I must have missed the newsletter," Janie joked.

"Apparently, so did I," Buffy said in awe.

"Kids tastes change so fast."

"Yeah and with Allie, it's REALLY fast, I mean last week, she wanted me to stay and watch her in class but today, she wanted me to go away. She wants to be alone, or she wants to hang out with her friends. She loves blueberries for a month and then she hates them. I'm barely keeping up."

"Oh hush," Janie said dismissively. "You're a great mom."

Buffy flashed an appreciative smile as she checked on Allie.

"Looks like she made a new friend," Janie pointed. "Such a social butterfly, huh?"

Buffy grinned proudly as Allie leaned over the table and patted her new friend on the shoulder.

"Yeah, she loves meeting new people."

A short time later, the rec room emptied out as parents picked up their children. Allie skipped alongside Buffy as she collected paper cups and wadded up napkins from all the snack tables.

"Can I help you mommy?"

"Of course you can. How about getting all the empty cups from the tables and putting them in this trash bin?"

"Okay!"

Allie trotted down each table picking up empty cups and began to sing a little tune.

"Clean up! Clean up! Clean up!" Allie sang

Buffy giggled and grinned with pride as Allie tossed her handful of cups into the trash bin. After several minutes, Buffy and Allie finished cleaning the tables. Allie dumped another handful of napkins in the trash and smiled up at Buffy.

"I cleaned up!"

"Yes, you did," Buffy said. "I'm very proud of you. Ready to go home now?"

Allie nodded as she followed Buffy out of the rec room. A little girl about four years old waved to Allie as her father helped put her jacket on.

"Oh, you made a new friend?" Buffy asked.

"Uh huh, that's Violet. Imma say goodbye!'

Allie ran over to Violet and gave her a hug. The two little girls smiled before returning to their parents.

"Awwww Allie, that is so sweet!" Buffy cooed.

"Mommy, can she come to my birthday party?"

Buffy blinked in awe at the question as she collected her jacket and purse.

"Ohhh, someone's got a birthday coming up soon, huh?"

Allie simply grinned wide and nodded.

"Hmm, I wonder whose birthday it is."

Allie bounced up and down excitedly.

"It's mine! It's mine! I'm having a birthday!"

Buffy dipped her head back and laughed heartily.

"Yeah, you are," she said breathlessly.

"Can Violet come to my birthday? Please mommy?"

"Yeah Allie. You can invite whoever you want."

"Can we have a pony at the party?"

Buffy widened her eyes as she scooped Allie up in her arms.

"Oh, um, we'll have to see what a pony would cost okay? But we'll definitely have all your friends over and balloons and cake and games. It'll be lots and lots of fun for your special day."

As Buffy drew a nostalgic expression and her eyes glistened, Allie stroked her cheek.

"Why you look sad mommy?"

Buffy clutched Allie tightly and beamed a deeply maternal smile.

"I'm not sad. Thinking about your birthday, makes me happy," she said softly. "Because you are the best thing that ever happened to me - I love you my precious little girl. I love you so much."

Buffy kissed Allie's temple, giving her another loving squeeze.

* * *

_A few days later:_

Allie squealed excitedly as she watched her pink Hello Kitty kite soaring through the air, a strong breeze pulling it higher and higher into the bright, clear blue sky. Buffy grinned with delight as she absorbed the effervescent glow on Allie's face.

"I want to do it mommy!" Allie roared. "I want to hold it!"

"Okay, let me get it just a little bit higher," Buffy said. "The breeze is perfect! Look at it go!"

Buffy unwound a few more lengths of the kite string as Allie jumped up and down.

"It's going to kiss the sky!" Allie cried gleefully.

Once the kite was steady in the air, Buffy crouched down and gripped Allie's hand around the handle.

"Hold onto it and don't let go, okay sweetie?"

Allie nodded as Buffy kept a hold on her hand.

"I won't let go!"

As another strong gust of wind blew through the town, the tails of the kite billowed and flapped fervently, carrying it sharply toward a bank of trees. Buffy widened her eyes as Allie nearly stumbled forward from the blast of rolling winds. She firmed up her grip on Allie's hand and tugged on the kite as it dove into the trees.

"Oh no!" Allie moaned.

"It's okay, we can catch it, come on!"

Allie skipped along side Buffy as she took off toward the tree banks, trying to steer the kite away from the web of branches. As they emptied into the clearing, Buffy heaved a breath as she saw the kite nestled between two long tree branches.

"Ugh," Buffy groaned.

Allie stared up at the kite and scrunched her face.

"It's stuck!"

"I think it just needs a little tug," Buffy said. "No worries. Mommy can get it out."

Buffy looked around discreetly before she yanked sharply on the kite. Her eyes popped wide when she heard a cracking sound as the thick branch snapped in half and heaved to the ground.

"Uh…." Buffy gulped as she whipped her eyes around the clearing.

"Oh no!" Allie moaned as she cupped her cheeks.

Buffy slowly crept toward the tangle of broken branches and saw the kite sheared in several pieces.

"I'll get you a new one," Buffy said. "Come on Allie, let's go back to the picnic."

Buffy apprehensively surveyed the clearing as took Allie by the hand. Seeing no witnesses in the area, Buffy let out a huge breath of relief as she led Allie back to the grassy field. Allie plopped down on their lawn blanket and began to mope as she looked up at the blue sky.

"I'm sorry about your kite," Buffy said. "Mommy was a little too….forceful in trying to get it out of the tree."

"You broke the tree," Allie said with a pout. "Poor tree."

"Uh….right, poor, poor tree," Buffy replied with a sad look. "Mommy is very, very sorry for….breaking the tree…."

"Where will the butterflies and birdies live now mommy?" Allie asked as her eyes grew wide with wonder. "You broke their home."

Buffy gulped and shaded with guilt as Allie's gaze deepened.

"Uh, well…..they'll find a new home. Because….you know butterflies and birdies are all a family and….they all share homes when they need too."

Allie lifted out of her sad look as the lively atmosphere engaged her attention. Buffy let out a breath of relief as Allie's jovial grin returned to her face.

While waiting at the balloon animals station, Buffy heard her name and turned around to see Zoe and Olive. Buffy grinned when she saw Olive's cheeks painted with white daisies. Allie gasped and smiled as she patted Olive's cheeks.

"You look so pretty with flower cheeks! Mommy, I want paint on my cheeks!"

"Okay, we'll hit that booth after we get your balloon animal, you still want a kitty?"

"Uh huh, I want a pink kitty!"

Allie bounced off her toes in excitement as the vendor handed out a yellow giraffe to a little boy. Buffy made her request and after a few short minutes, the vendor handed Allie a pink balloon kitty. Buffy snatched Allie's hand up and steered her toward the painting booth. After Allie got butterfly cheeks, she and Olive latched hands as Buffy settled down on the blanket and took out lunch.

"No, I wanna play with Olive!" Allie protested.

"How about a little juice and a piece of fruit?"

"No, later mommy," Allie moaned.

Buffy watched Allie skip off a few feet away before sitting on the grass across from Olive. Olive took out a few dolls and the two girls played happily together.

"Sooo, I know a secret about you," Zoe cooed with a silly grin.

Buffy gulped and tensed with anxiety as she thought back to the kite flying debacle.

"A secret?"

Buffy forced out a nervous laugh and scratched the back of her head.

"What makes you think I have a secret huh? Did you hear or um, see something?"

Zoe chortled and nodded.

"You bet I heard something," she teased.

Buffy chewed on her bottom lip as Zoe chortled for another second.

"Okay, okay, I won't keep you in suspense anymore," Zoe said.

Buffy held in a breath as Allie and Olive chased each other around a short length of grass.

"Danny went out for a beer with Rick a couple nights ago and well, there was this waitress that wasn't shy. Anyway, Danny made a comment about the number of women who trip over themselves when trying to talk to Rick and that led to a conversation where your name came up."

Buffy pulled her eyes away from Allie and displayed her surprise.

"Uh what? Why did my name come up?"

Zoe flashed a goofy grin as Allie and Olive ran over the blanket.

"Because Rick is curious about you," Zoe revealed. "I mean, every woman in this town, young or old, single or not have noticed him, the single ones proposition him all the time and many, like Danny pointed out, stumble over themselves when they talk to him. But YOU, you always manage to be so composed around him, you know not winking or gawking or smiling flirtatiously at him, you just talk to him like he's a person and not….a piece of prime meat."

Zoe clapped her thighs and laughed for a long minute.

"He said it was nice," Zoe added. "And that you seemed nice and easy to talk to."

Zoe nudged Buffy lightly in the arm as Allie and Olive began spinning and giggling.

"So, you want me to put in a good word for you? I do have an 'in' with him. And I mean, Rick's not actively looking for a girlfriend, but I think he's open to….hanging out with the right woman, you know?"

As Zoe deepened her goofy grin, Buffy cleared her throat and displayed a reluctant look.

"You don't really need to do that," she said gently. "I have so much going on right now that I just don't have the room for pursuing a dating life even if I wanted one, which honestly, I'm fine with not having. Rick seems like a nice guy and a good dad but I'm just…."

"Not interested or…are you holding out for you know, _Thee Dean_?" Zoe asked bluntly.

Buffy widened her eyes in disbelief when she heard the reference.

"Uh, he's just Dean and no, I'm not holding out," Buffy stated. "We're just friends."

"Are you sure? Because Janie said he was – in her words - 'quite spectacular' in the looks department."

Buffy frowned at the notion of town gossip spreading around about her.

"I didn't know you two talked….about me."

"Oh, it's just harmless gossip, nothing bad Buffy," Zoe assured. "We got on the subject about relationships and loser guys and the lack of good ones around here and Janie happened to mention that you seem to have a knack for resisting the irresistible ones. It was a compliment to you, I swear."

Buffy studied Zoe's sincere look and let out a breath.

"I didn't mean to be presumptuous," Zoe said. "I just thought he's single, you're single, you both have kids and he likes that you talk to him without drooling. And you said Allie's getting easier to take care of and that she loves spending time with her friends, she's gonna want to spend more and more time with them, giving you a little free time. So, maybe in the near future, your schedule will open up for….coffee or something. Just think about it."

Buffy let out a heavy sigh as Allie tumbled onto the blanket, giggling and squealing. Buffy brightened with a maternal glow as she gathered Allie in her arms and tickled her belly. Allie shrieked with joy and wiggled her legs as Buffy deepened her smile, glancing at Zoe taking Olive to the restrooms.

"What is with mommy's friends always trying to throw me at guys huh?"

* * *

_Two days later:_

As the doorbell rang through the house, Buffy trekked down the stairs, throwing her eyes behind her.

"Allie sweetie, Uncle Xander and Auntie Willow are here! Allie!"

Buffy let out a breath as Allie continued to play with her toys, singing softly to herself. Buffy propped the door open and shined a bright welcome smile.

"Hey…."

Buffy paused when she saw a solo Xander perched on the porch, his arm in a cast, his face riddled with lines of exhaustion. Xander shined his surprise as he rocked back on his heels.

"Buffy! The Brunette! Wow," he gasped.

Xander cocked his head as he took a long study of Buffy's new look. He hitched two thumbs ups and grinned with approval.

"It looks good," he praised.

"Thanks."

As Xander passed through the doorway, Buffy glanced at the cast on his arm

"I see you're rocking a new accessory," she said with a kidding smile.

"Yeah, I would have got a matching one," he cracked as he waved his left arm. "But my backup team wouldn't hear of it."

Buffy giggled before she looked Xander over.

"Well, I'm really glad you're okay," she said.

Buffy turned her eyes to Xander as she pointed to the couch in the living room.

"So, I assume Will is tied up with something?" she asked casually.

Buffy knitted with anxiety when she noticed Xander's face flooding with sorrow.

"Will couldn't make it," he gulped. "She was working on….something and then something unexpected happened with….someone."

Buffy darkened with immense concern as she gripped the crook of Xander's good arm.

"I won't ask about it," she acknowledged. "Just please tell me she's okay."

Buffy squeezed Xander's arm as he eased into a confirming nod. She let out a huge sigh of relief as Xander imparted the latest news.

"She opened her eyes a couple days ago and is breathing on her own," he replied. "They just moved her from the ICU ward."

"Thank god," Buffy gasped. "But why am I hearing about this now? Why didn't anyone tell me?"

As Buffy hooked Xander with an assessing glare, he fidgeted in his seat while nervously rubbing the back of his neck.

"We're not trying to be secretive Buffy," he replied. "We all promised we wouldn't involve you in any way with evil business anymore. You're Allie's mom. That's your job now."

Buffy bit down on her lower lip as she released a heavy breath.

"I know," she acceded. "I understand and I appreciate it. But you guys know that I still worry about all of you. You don't have to get into specifics about what happened, but if you get hurt, I want to know. Especially because Allie asks about you and I need to know for certain that you're all okay."

"I wanted to call you," Xander revealed. "But Giles was insistent that we not tell you anything until Willow woke up. He didn't see the point in worrying you when you have Allie to take care of."

Buffy sat back in the arm chair and shook her head in amazement.

"I don't know whether I should be mad that you're all trying to decide things for me or be glad that you're so concerned about us."

Xander leaned forward and drew a heavy expression of sincerity.

"You know we care."

"I know," Buffy replied confidently.

"To tell you the truth, I wasn't going to come out either," Xander confessed. "We've all been taking shifts sitting with Willow so she wouldn't be alone, but Giles and Faith convinced me to visit. Will wouldn't want me to miss a visit with her Boo."

"No, she wouldn't. I'm glad you decided to come out," Buffy said. "As soon as I mentioned you were coming to visit, Allie got so excited."

Hearing the patter of light footsteps charging down the hall, Buffy shifted her eyes through the doorway of the living area.

"Uncle Xander's here sweetie," Buffy said.

"Hi Uncle Xander! Hi!" Allie roared gleefully.

"Hey Allie!"

As Allie took notice of the cast on Xander's arm, she cupped her cheeks and pouted.

"Oh no!" she cried. "What happened? What happened Uncle Xander? What happened?"

"I tripped and got my arm caught in….something and it….snapped."

Allie winced with sympathy as she sniffled softly.

"Ahhhhh," she wailed.

"I'm okay now Allie," Xander said assuredly. "This cast is coming off in a few weeks."

Allie sniffled and shook her head.

"No! You need love Uncle Xander!"

Allie darted over to the cubby holes lining the far wall of the living room and began rifling through the bins inside. Buffy and Xander watched in awe as Allie fished out a pink medical kit. She set the kit beside Xander and took out her stethoscope, pressing it against his cast.

"This is new," Xander said.

Buffy drew a proud smile as she curled her legs under her.

"Yeah, whenever she sees a kid at the park get a scrape, or anyone with an injury, she feels so bad for them."

Allie took out two Disney Princess Band-Aids and held them up to Xander.

"You need to put these on," she said. "And then you get kisses too."

Allie gently climbed onto the couch next to Xander and planted several loving kisses on his cheeks. She stroked the side of his face and gave another sympathetic look.

"Poor thing!" she cried.

Allie threw her arms around Xander and hugged him tightly.

"I love you, Uncle Xander," she said. "I'll stay with you until you feel better!"

Xander cracked a goofy grin as Allie doted on him.

"I should break my arm more often!" he gushed.

Buffy giggled and then sighed in contentment.

"Aw Allie, you're going to take good care of Xander while he's here, aren't you?"

"Uh huh!" Allie replied.

Buffy glanced at the time as Allie snuggled against Xander.

"You have writing on your arm," Allie said.

"Yep, everyone signed their name and a message," Xander said.

"Can I color on it? Please Uncle Xander?"

"Sure, you can color all this ugly plain part," Xander said as he pointed to the back of the cast. "It needs some spiffing up."

Allie grinned as she fetched her crayons and then climbed back onto the couch. Buffy beamed a joyful smile as she watched Allie scribbling on Xander's cast.

"Well, I'll leave you to visit," Buffy offered. "I'm gonna tidy up the guest room. How long can you stay Xander?"

"Until tomorrow afternoon at the latest," Xander said. "There's a meeting I can't really miss."

Buffy gave an understanding nod when Xander exuded a regretful look.

"Okay, we'll make sure Allie gets as much time with you as possible."

A short time later, Buffy eyed the clock as she descended the stairs. She glanced at Xander who now had silver glitter stars stuck to his cheeks as well as plastered over his cast. Buffy stifled a deep chuckle as Allie began adding gold glitter stars.

"Mommy, look, do you like it?"

Buffy snorted in her throat as her mouth tugged with a silly grin when she stared at the colorful, sparkly cast.

"Oh yeah, your Uncle Xander is very….sparkly."

Xander raised his head in a proud manner and admired his cast.

"It looks so much better Allie," he praised. "Who wants a plain white cast when I can have this?"

Allie giggled and grinned in satisfaction.

"It's all for you! You're special!" she roared. "Want to play now?"

"Actually sweetie, since it's such a nice day, I thought we could go with Uncle Xander to the 'Movies in the Park' series," Buffy said. "Remember last weekend they played Cinderella?"

"Yeah!" she cried gleefully.

Allie burst with excitement as she shot off the couch and ran toward the side closet. She tugged on the latch of the closet and swung the door open, quickly diving into a bin full of her park toys. She tossed several of the toys into the hall.

"I need this and this and this!"

Buffy and Xander watched in awe as Allie took out the plastic cooler and set it beside the door.

"We need drinks," she said. "And the blanket!"

Allie walked into the closet and rummaged through another bin, pulling out a bright colored tote bag stuffed with a blanket.

"And coloring books for me and Uncle Xander!"

When Allie had several items piled beside the door, she ran back to Buffy with an anxious smile.

"I'm ready for the park! Let's go mommy!" she said, tugging on Buffy's sleeve. "Let's go!"

Buffy chuckled as Allie collected her play shoes and waited by the front door.

"Come on mommy, you're taking too long," Allie moaned as she drew a scowl. "Hurry up!"

Buffy and Xander acknowledged each other with amused looks.

"Well, we know who's the boss of you," Xander joked.

* * *

After a half hour of watching the animated movie in the park, Allie grew restless and tugged Xander to the sandbox.

"Push me in the swing!"

Xander gently pushed Allie forward, watching her kick her feet out as she shrieked happily.

"Higher! I want to go higher! Push me higher! Push me higher!"

"Okay, Allie, here we go!"

Buffy stood by, enjoying Allie's immensely giddy expression as the sun kissed her face and a cool breeze swept through the park. After several minutes of absorbing Allie's blissful squeals, Buffy furrowed her brows in wonder as thick gray clouds suddenly stamped out the sun. Within a breath, lightning snapped and thunder roared in the air, followed by a heavy down pour of rain.

Buffy quickly collected Allie from the swing and ran toward her blanket of belongings. Xander took off his jacket and draped it over Allie's head as the dark sky lit up with lightning.

"I'll get the stuff! You go!" Xander offered.

As more thunder rolled through the air, Buffy passed Xander a grateful look as Allie clapped her hands over her ears.

"It's too loud!" she whined.

Buffy gingerly clutched Allie's head against her, keeping her under the cover of Xander's jacket.

"I know sweetie, we're going to the car right now."

Buffy took off across the clearing, deftly weaving through the dispersing crowds seeking shelter from the rain. Allie scowled deeper as the thunder pealed incessantly. Buffy caressed her comfortingly as she quickened her stride, reaching the foot of the parking lot. As she swung the back door of the car open, she heard Xander scrambling up behind her.

Once inside the car, Allie continued to pout and whine at the deafening claps of thunder. Buffy switched on the CD player, filling the car with sounds of an animated movie tune. As Allie grew more agitated, Buffy turned up the volume on the stereo while Xander tried cheering her up without much success. Allie kept her hands over her ears, deepening her pout as the rain continued to pelt the car.

"Oh Allie, I'm trying to get us home as quickly as possible okay?"

Allie simply frowned in response as Buffy eyed the rain slicked streets. After a few minutes, Buffy pulled into her drive and then handed the house key to Xander. Xander darted out of the car and raced to the front door as Buffy collected Allie. As Buffy shielded Allie from the rain, something struck her in the shoulder.

"Froggies!" Allie cried.

Buffy tensed suddenly when dozens of toads crashed to the ground, blanketing the walkway and the entire block.

"Buffy!" Xander called as he ran toward her.

Xander ushered Buffy and Allie toward the house as the rainstorm of toads continued to bombard the neighborhood. Xander stamped the door shut as Buffy glanced out the window, her brows furrowing with wonder.

"Mommy, I'm cold," Allie shuddered.

Buffy snapped out of her curiosity as Xander ran to the linen closet in the hallway and fetched a towel.

"Thanks," Buffy said in appreciation.

Buffy wrapped Allie in the towel, patting her dry.

"Let's get you in a warm bath," Buffy replied.

"It's still too noisy mommy," Allie moaned.

Buffy hitched her eyes through the front window as the patter of toads seemed to dissipate but the thunder still clapped in the distance.

"I know, but we'll put on some music to listen to when you're in the bathtub okay?"

As Buffy picked Allie up and pivoted toward the stairs, Xander patted his pockets, taking out his cell phone. He frowned when the display was soaked.

"Uh can I use your phone? I should call Andrew," he said anxiously.

Buffy drew her brows in her deeply inquisitive manner after absorbing the anxiety on Xander's face.

"About the rain of toads?"

Xander gulped as he stuffed his rain damaged phone in his pocket.

"No, why would I call him about that? I mean, it rained toads last month in my town, no big. It's probably the same toad carrying storm. So, don't you worry about it Buff," he said with a dismissive smile.

Xander gently steered Buffy toward the stairs.

"You get Allie all warm and toasty and I'll make my calls about non toady things."

After a brief hesitation, Allie's shivers called to her maternal instincts. Buffy shed her concerns and pushed off up the stairs with Allie.

A short time later, Buffy perched on the landing and peered down at Xander as he paced in front of the door.

"Okay, my cell phone's a drowning victim so if you need me, call me here at Buffy's…..bye Andrew."

As Allie hopped down the stairs in her pajamas, Buffy glanced at Xander as he rubbed the back of his neck. Allie dunked the contents of a toy bin on the living room floor as Buffy set a Nickelodeon soundtrack on the stereo before eyeing Xander.

"What did Andrew have to say?" she asked discreetly.

As Allie began stacking Legos together and singing along to the music, Buffy sat down on the couch, hooking Xander with an apprehensive look.

"Is something here?" she asked softly.

Xander let out a sigh as he joined Buffy on the couch. His usually affable expression knitted with a disapproving glare.

"Buffy, you know you can't ask me questions like that," he said adamantly. "And you know you can't be involved."

"If something is happening here Xander….."

"Nothing is happening here," Xander interjected sharply. "We're on top of things. You just have to trust me and the rest of us that we're taking care of it."

Buffy forced an anxious breath out as she watched Allie building a tower with her pink Legos.

"It's just that I've noticed a lot of things happening across the states," Buffy confessed. "Weird weather occurrences, that sea of dead fish in Maine – I know these aren't coincidences."

"Maybe not but seriously Buffy – and you know I mean this in the nicest way - keep your nose out of it, okay?" Xander pressed.

As Xander deepened his 'all business' frown, Buffy heaved another long breath, trying to stave off the uneasy feeling gripping her nerves.

"Okay," she surrendered.

"Uncle Xander! Let's play Fairies!"

Allie waved several fairy dolls at Xander.

"You be Flora!"

Xander eagerly grabbed the redheaded fairy doll and made the wings flap.

"Okay, call me Flora the Fairy!" he said enthusiastically.

As Allie and Xander raced around the living room with their fairy dolls, Buffy peeked through the window blinds and noticed the torrential rain storm had passed. She blew out several breaths as the night sky seemed still.

"Mommy! Come play!" Allie beckoned.

Buffy rolled her eyes over the ceiling, searching for signs ward activity. When nothing happened, she heaved a sigh of relief before joining Allie and Xander in some play time.

* * *

_One week later:_

"Mommy, can I go outside now?" Allie asked as she put down her crayon.

Buffy glanced out the patio doors as heavy gusts of wind blew dust and debris around the backyard. She let out a deep breath as the glass doors were coated thick in dust, stamping out the rays of sunlight. She shifted her sights to the small TV on the counter, reading a newsflash scrawling under the cartoon program: _Tornado watch in effect in the following counties….._

"No sweetie, I'm sorry but it's still really windy outside," she said.

Allie sunk against her chair and sulked.

"But it was windy when I woke up," she whined. "I want to play outside!"

"I know and I wish you could but the weather is really bad," Buffy said gently. "You can't go out there right now."

As Allie let out a sigh, Buffy shaded with maternal sympathy.

"I've got a whole list of activities for us," Buffy added. "We haven't even gotten through half of them…."

Allie pushed her chair out from her little pink table and ran out of the kitchen.

Buffy snapped the TV off and picked up her land line, hitting a speed dial button. When she got a voice mail, she quickly hung up and hit another speed dial. After several more attempts to make contact, she heard a faint crackling sound before the line clicked and Andrew answered.

"Hello lovely, sorry I cannot answer the phone. Please be kind and leave your name and number and I will graciously return your call. I look forward to speaking with you soon. Ciao."

Buffy heaved a sigh of disappointment as she ambled into the living room to check on Allie.

"Andrew, it's Buffy," she said. "I guess everyone is out. When you get a chance, could you call me back? I was just wondering about something. Thanks. Oh, the phone lines are on the fritz here so if you can't get a hold of me, I'll call you back."

Buffy hung up the phone and inhaled a deep breath, pushing out the anxiety in her veins. Allie rummaged through a bin of Disney princess dresses and matching shoes, taking out one she liked.

"Can I wear this?" Allie asked with an endearing expression.

"Sure you can," Buffy said.

"And you wear this one mommy!"

Buffy burst into a giggle as Allie waved a yellow Belle dress at her.

"Oh baby, that's too little, mommy can't wear that," she said.

"But I want to play dress up!"

"Okay, I've got my own 'dress up' clothes upstairs, they're not as fancy as your princess ones."

"Why aren't they fancy mommy?"

"Well, because I'd rather spend my money buying fancy stuff for you," Buffy replied with a sweet smile.

Allie cupped her chin and looked up at Buffy.

"You can marry a prince and get fancy stuff!" she squealed.

Buffy burst into another hearty giggle as she unzipped the princess dress Allie had picked out.

"Oh, so you want mommy to marry a prince huh?"

Allie nodded as Buffy pulled the dress over her head.

"You can get fancy stuff and live in a castle and dance and sing with the animals!"

Buffy popped her eyes wide and chuckled deeply.

"Well, that's…quite a lifestyle."

After Buffy zipped up the dress, she pulled Allie onto her lap, giving her a peck on the cheek.

"But mommy doesn't need a prince or fancy stuff or a castle to live in," she said. "All I need is for you to be happy and safe and to know that you're loved."

Buffy kissed Allie's forehead before rising to her feet. As she heard a distant crackle, Buffy shifted her eyes around the house, apprehensively expecting signs of a ward breach. When nothing happened, Buffy blew out a deep breath through her teeth and headed for the stairs.

* * *

_Meanwhile in Blue Earth, Minnesota:_

Sam stumbled into the motel room, his balance slightly off after having a few rounds at the bar. Dean opened his eyes in the faintly lit room and examined Sam.

"Hey, where were you?"

"Having a drink or….four," Sam stuttered.

"That's my little rebel," Dean snorted.

"If it weren't for curfew, I would have kept going," Sam admitted.

"Curfew, yeah."

"Did you know that the cell towers have been shut down too?"

"Not really. First I'm hearing of it."

"Well, that's not all," Sam continued. "They also cut off internet service and cable. We are completely shut out from any 'temptations' that may sacrifice our chances of getting into 'paradise'."

"Really."

Sam balked at his brother's indifferent attitude.

"Did you hear me Dean? This town is becoming one of those compounds for extreme fundamentalists," Sam announced grimly.

"I heard you," Dean stated.

Sam raised an eyebrow in immense wonder.

"That's all you have to say? 'Really'. Are you okay?"

Dean bellowed a heavy sigh as he stared off.

"I'm fine," he said apathetically. "I'm fine with all of it actually."

Sam scoffed sharply as his face knotted with cynicism.

"Are you serious?"

Dean rolled off the bed and shrugged, giving Sam a distant look.

"Does it really matter?"

Sam rocked his head back and balked.

"Does it….Dean, of course it matters," he said sharply. "I mean, when are you gonna say enough is enough? Burning at the stake? Come on. These people are being manipulated by the Angels!"

"It's their world man," Dean said flatly. "They're gonna do what they want."

Sam shined his appall as he stared at his brother's emotionless face.

"So what, you're okay with that now?"

"Like I said, does it really matter? The angels are the only ones being let on Noah's Ark. Cuz let's face it, there ain't hope for humanity anymore. I mean, we got tapped to save 'em, but it can't be us," Dean declared glumly.

Sam stared at Dean in complete astonishment for a long moment.

"And that's it? You're just gonna….you're gonna what, lie down and wave the white flag?"

After a lull of silence, Dean set his feet down on the floor and shaded with defeat.

"I just might," he said bluntly.

"No," Sam gasped. "No Dean. Don't you do this - not now."

"I can do whatever I want Sam," Dean grunted.

Sam shook his head and glared resentfully at this brother.

"I won't let you," Sam replied emphatically. "I won't. There's only one thing I've got left that gets me out of bed everyday. I've got one person I have faith in – ONE. I know you're white knuckling it these days Dean, but you're not the only one. So don't do this to me."

Sam deepened his pleading look as a tense silence blanketed the air. Dean averted his sights from Sam and simply turned toward the door.

"I need some air," he sighed.

Dean fetched his jacket and let out a long breath before he headed for the door.

"But you're out past the curfew," Sam protested.

Dean ignored Sam as his thoughts pulled him into a heavy haze. Sam mumbled something as he ambled out of the room and shut the door behind him. Feeling an intense chill when he stepped outside, Dean flipped the collar of his jacket up and then buried his hands in his pockets as he bounded aimlessly down the sidewalk.

* * *

A few hours later:

Dean stared sullenly at Paul's grave as a strange fluttering sound tainted the still air. Feeling uneasy by the growing eerie sound, Dean tensed as he slowly turned around. His eyes widened with wonder when he saw a bright green funnel swirling a few feet away from him. After staring closely at the funnel, he noticed the rapid flutter of wings from dozens and dozens of insects, more specifically, fireflies.

"What the…."

Dean blinked rapidly in disbelief when he saw what looked like a shadow illuminated within the tunnel of fireflies. Not knowing whether to shoot or simply shoo away the fireflies, Dean opted for the latter, batting a hand at the cloud of flies. After a second, the fireflies dissipated into the air as a shadow took human form.

Dean widened his eyes in awe at the man brushing dust off his tweed coat.

"Giles?"

Giles drew a prim expression as he adjusted his crooked glasses and gave Dean a dire look.

"My goodness. Are you alright?"

Dean noticed Giles' sights fixated on his blood stained hands.

"It's not my blood," he said dismissively. "I'm fine, physically at least. I'm not imagining that you came here in a cloud of fireflies?"

"No," Giles confirmed. "Except those are known as 'defloria y holometabolous, the ancestors of the modern day firefly, these insects date back to medieval times. I acquired a nest of them on one of my travels to an alternate dimension after assisting a grand wizard. He trained these insects to be trackers. It is quite a fascinating and harrowing tale."

"Uh, I'm sure it is," Dean said incredulously. "Anyway, what are you doing here?"

"Andrew has been monitoring your travels and grew worried when his program detected the massive demonic activity on the edge of this town," Giles stated. "Based on his reports, we believed unconventional transport methods would grant me a discreet and stealthy entrance. I would have come sooner but we were experiencing some difficulties."

"Monitoring my travels? You mean he's been spying on me?" Dean remarked with offense.

"Yes, I mean, no, he has been checking on you and Sam both," Giles clarified. "Andrew took down your numbers and put it in that computer of his to as he stated, 'keep his eyes on you'."

"Huh. I thought his eyes were more geared toward Sam."

Dean tossed more piles of dirt on the grave as Giles looked on in respective silence.

"Someone you knew?" Giles asked softly.

"Long story," Dean sighed. "Let's go back to why you're here."

"I came to assist you," Giles replied.

"Well, I really don't know what you can do Giles," Dean said. "And I thought we agreed that me and Sam were gonna rough this out without you."

"You agreed, I did not think it was wise," Giles stated. "I know you are concerned about the welfare of my teams, but it is their duty to protect innocent lives from supernatural elements."

"You still shouldn't have come," Dean said flatly.

"I am here now. I may as well be of use," Giles replied emphatically.

Dean let out a sigh when he gauged the thick determination on Giles' face.

"Alright, alright," Dean surrendered. "But I gotta finish this up."

Giles peeled out of his coat, set his bag on the ground and then picked up a spare shovel, proceeding to help Dean fill the remainder of the grave.

As the sun slowly eased into the horizon, Dean updated Giles on the events leading up to Paul's death.

"Oh dear," Giles gasped as he pulled off his glasses. "Tell me more of this Leah."

Dean shrugged as he eyed the store fronts and alleyways.

"Don't know too much," he said. "She got tapped by the Angels to communicate their demands and the consequences. The ones who don't fall in line end up like Paul."

As Dean ambled through the motel room door, Sam bellowed a sigh of relief.

"Hey, we were looking for you earlier," he said.

Sam tensed with dread when he saw the blood on his brother's hands.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. It's Paul's blood. He was shot down. Didn't make it." Dean announced grimly.

"Who shot him?"

"Jane."

"What?" Sam said in shock.

As Giles shuffled through the doorway, he passed a look at Sam. Sam shined his immense surprise as Giles draped his coat over a chair.

"Giles? What are you doing here?"

"Sam, good to see you. Excuse me, but I would like to wash up before we discuss this prophet business," Giles said politely.

Dean nodded toward the open bathroom door. Sam lingered with wonder as Giles closed the door behind him.

"It has begun."

Dean whipped around and frowned as Cass stumbled toward him.

"We called you hours ago," Dean snapped. "What took you so damn long to get here huh? What've you been doing that was more important?"

"Drinking myself into a stupor," Cass said flatly. "That was my intent until he interrupted me."

Cass glared sharply at Sam as Dean widened his eyes in incredulousness.

"Uh what? You mean, you're…."

"Drunk," Sam informed. "Yep."

Cass grimaced as he tumbled onto the couch.

"You're talking too loud," he barked.

Dean stared at Cass before shaking his head.

"And you are wasting my time," Cass stuttered. "We must discuss what is going on in this town."

Dean and Sam glanced at Giles as he stepped out from the bathroom. Cass rained an irritated glare at the brothers before turning his sights on Giles.

"Who is he?" Cass demanded.

"Rupert Giles," Dean introduced. "He's a Watcher, the Head of the Watcher's Council actually."

Cass burrowed into the couch, gripping the sides of his head as his face knitted with a heavy scowl.

"Watchers. Guardians of the Slayers," he cited.

"Yes. I am pleased to meet you Castiel," Giles replied eagerly. "I have heard much about you."

Giles marveled at the sight of Castiel, drifting a little closer to the trench coated Angel. Cass drew a sour look as he massaged his temples.

"I have heard nothing about you," he grunted.

"A genuine Angel of the Lord," Giles gasped.

Cass drew an icy glare up at Giles.

"Uh, forgive him Giles, he's dealing with some….issues," Dean replied. "Moving on. Do we know anything new?"

Giles took a seat at the table and took out a notebook and pen.

"Yeah," Sam affirmed. "First of all, Leah's not who she says she is."

"Okay, so who is she really?" Dean asked.

Cass shot forward, deepening his grimace.

"She is a whore," he said bluntly.

Dean blinked rapidly in disbelief as he drew an amused smirk.

"Well, don't hold back on telling us how you really feel about her," he cracked.

Cass huffed deeply as he pushed himself to his feet and began reciting a passage from the Bible. Giles looked up from his notebook and shined his recognition.

"Yes, yes, the Whore of Babylon!" Giles exclaimed.

"Well, what'd she do to get that kind of reputation, huh?" Dean snorted.

"It's likely that the real Leah has been dead for awhile," Sam replied morosely.

"The demons are attacking this town under her direction," Cass stated.

"Then what about the Enochian exorcism that everyone and their mother has memorized?" Dean asked.

"It's not real," Cass answered as he slumped onto the couch.

Cass let out a breath before reciting something in Enochian. Giles blinked rapidly as his face cracked with a silly smile. He chuckled very briefly as Cass stared up at him in wonder.

"You know Enochian?"

Giles drew a proud smile and nodded.

"Yes, I am fluent in many languages," Giles boasted.

Giles cleared his throat as he responded in Enochian. Cass tilted forward and pointed at Giles, glaring deeply as he answered back. Giles grinned wide with excitement as he threw another response to Cass, shaking his fists in mock anger. Sam and Dean exchanged looks as Cass and Giles continued their conversation in the ancient language.

"Uh hello," Dean broke in as he raised his hand. "For those of us who don't speak nerdy angel, you want to tell us what that was about?"

Giles let his excitement subside before he continued.

"Pardon me," he said. "I have not been able to practice my Enochian with anyone until now. I'm afraid I got a bit carried away with….I believe you would call it 'trash talk'."

Dean and Sam eyed each other before staring at Giles and Cass in amazement.

"Uh huh, okay, back to the point of this lovely pit stop," Dean replied. "What was with the demons' big smoke show huh? I mean, what the hell are they up to?"

"Exactly what is happening here," Cass said bleakly. "A town full of people incited to shed innocent blood in thy name of the Lord."

"All that talk about Heaven," Sam said. "She's just manipulating all of them."

"Right, let's join hands, say a prayer and then slit each other's throats, all with a song in our heart. Fantastic," Dean said with a dry smile.

"Her purpose here is to damn the souls of as many innocent people as she can. It is obvious her youthful charm and moving displays of her 'prophetic' dreams has affected the town," Giles addressed.

"And she's only getting started," Cass added. "She will not be satisfied until every soul in this town is tainted and ready to burn for eternity."

"Okay, well, how do we bitch slap this Whore back to Babylon huh?"

Cass passed Dean a glance as he got to his feet again.

"There is one way," Cass announced. "I will return shortly."

When Cass disappeared from the room, Giles stared in fascination at the spot the Angel had once occupied.

"So um, Giles, how'd you find us?" Sam asked. "I mean, I haven't spoken to you in over a week."

"It seems your number one fan has been lo jacking us," Dean said disparagingly.

"What? Andrew's been tracking us? Why?"

"When fan boy love turns to obsession, The Sam Winchester Story," Dean shot with a smirk.

Sam rolled his eyes before shifting his attention to Giles.

"We did not intend to invade your privacy," Giles expressed. "I merely asked Andrew if he would inform me when you were in a dire situation and needed assistance. Andrew took it upon himself to keep track of your whereabouts."

Giles' agreeable expression suddenly tightened with aggravation as he revealed a recent memory.

"It was a few days after a conversation with Buffy where she expressed her concerns when he became completely insufferable," he moaned. "The past few months he has prattled on and on about how he must be the 'Obi-wan' to your 'Skywalker' and that he will use 'the Force' wherever you are to 'protect the Rebel Alliance' from the Galactic Empire."

Giles dipped his eyes to the ground and shook his head grievously.

"I do not understand half the things he says," Giles muttered.

Sam spied a look at his brother when the ex Slayer's name was mentioned. As he expected, Sam caught Dean tensing with agitation and annoyance.

"What concerns?" Dean pressed. "What does she know? What have you told her?"

As Dean hardened his icy look, Giles stood tall, his prim face riddled with assertiveness.

"I, nor any of her friends have said a word to Buffy about the threat of an Apocalypse," he affirmed. "But you must understand that Buffy is acutely aware of what roams in the night. She knows that we all fight the forces of darkness and she fears for our safety as she always has. She may not be an active Slayer anymore but her instincts, her knowledge and her concerns remain very deep in her consciousness. She will always worry about the people she cares about, no matter how much or little information you give her. It is who she is. If she were here, she would express this same view to you. She accepts that we will not relay her the details of our business, but she expects – she MUST know – that we are all okay. You cannot stop her from caring."

Sam spied another look at Dean as the stony lines on his face depleted into a somber softness. For a long moment, Dean stared off as he absorbed Giles' compelling statement.

"As I expressed to you before, you and Sam do not have to fight this war alone," Giles added. "If Buffy were still the Slayer, she would insist on helping you in any way she could. Given her situation, I believe it would ease her mind knowing that we are all actively and eagerly seeking to help you."

As an awkward silence drifted through the room, Dean shuddered with a sigh, digging his fingers into the back of his neck.

"Okay, I get it," Dean said. "But that doesn't mean you have to make house calls."

"It does when you do not return my calls," Giles reproved. "I am sorry to take this tone but if you do not want Buffy to worry, someone at my residence needs to hear from you. We have agreed to withhold the details of our assistance, but we will not lie to her about your well being if we are not certain."

Sam shifted awkwardly as he noticed Dean regarding Giles' stern expression.

"When Andrew learned of the activity here and could not reach you, I did not hesitate to come out."

"We appreciate it Giles," Sam said.

A second later, Cass appeared in the room again, setting a long wooden stake on the table.

"This is the weapon that will kill the whore," he announced.

Sam, Dean and Giles gathered around the table to examine the weapon.

"From a cypress tree in Babylon?" Giles asked in fascination.

"Yes," Cass answered.

"Awesome," Dean said as he turned the weapon over in his hand. "We'll shish kabab the bitch."

Cass narrowed his eyes on Dean.

"There is a condition," Cass added in monotone.

Dean scoffed and shook his head.

"Right, isn't there always?"

"This stake must be wielded by a devoted, pure servant of the Lord and Heaven," Cass revealed.

"You mean…"

"It cannot be you," Cass replied. "And it cannot be me."

Cass shifted his eyes to Sam.

"Sam needs no explanation," he continued.

Giles drew a pleased smile as he stepped forward and took the stake from Dean.

"It seems I am of great use now. I shall kill the Whore of Babylon."

Cass snatched the stake away from Giles and shook his head.

"No, it cannot be you either," he replied in a dark tone.

"I thought you said you didn't know Giles," Dean pointed.

"I am aware of the history of the Slayers and their Guardians. Many of the Watchers are too insignificant to commit to my memory. But you, Rupert Edmund Giles, your father and grandmother were Watchers. You had a destiny but in your youth, you chose to rebel. You were known as 'Ripper'."

Dean and Sam exchanged looks before staring at Giles in wonder.

"Ripper?" Dean asked in disbelief.

"It was a very long time ago," Giles said.

"You were a worshipper of dark magic," Cass disclosed. "You summoned a demon Eyghon who shed human blood."

Giles drew a mournful look at Sam and Dean.

"I made many mistakes in my youth," Giles lamented. "But since I accepted my responsibility and duty, I have spent every moment fighting the forces of darkness, taking the Slayers under my wing…."

"It cannot be you," Cass reiterated. "We need a true servant of the Lord."

"I could make a call," Giles offered. "I have many colleagues in the Catholic community."

"Land and cell phone lines are down," Sam said.

"We do not have time," Cass said.

"Well, we have one option," Dean said.

A few minutes later, Sam and Dean hastily greeted Pastor Gideon as he appeared in the room with Cass. Pastor Gideon stared wide eyed at Cass, then at Sam and Dean.

"What in God's name…." Gideon gasped.

Gideon glanced at the other strange face in the room.

"Who are you?"

"Listen up Padre, we don't have time for intros," Dean cut in. "As for the angel stuff, he's the real deal. Anyway, we need to have a chat, so, take a seat."

Dean pulled out a chair as Gideon simply stared at everyone in complete astonishment.

A short time later, Pastor Gideon shook his head as he stared at the stake.

"You can't ask me to do that," he cried shakily. "How can I…that's my Leah."

"I am very sorry Pastor Gideon," Giles said sincerely. "But your daughter has perished and the demon responsible has taken over her body."

Gideon frowned with confusion. "Who are you again? How can you really think this is possible?"

"Because it is," Sam said flatly. "And I think you've already sensed it. You've witnessed what has been happening in this town. And I know it's a lot to take in, too much, but please, if you don't step up, more people are gonna get killed and the rest she will drag with her to Hell."

Gideon stared incredulously at everyone as Dean handed him the stake.

"I still don't understand – why me?"

"You are a true servant of the Lord and Heaven," Cass explained.

Gideon widened his eyes as he stared at Cass before regarding Dean and Sam.

"But you have an Angel."

"I am a bad example," Cass stated.

"It just has to be you Padre and it has to be now," Dean said urgently.

* * *

After discussing a plan, Dean, Sam and Giles made their way to the church while Cass escorted Pastor Gideon. As they crept toward the back office, Dean threw Giles a frown of warning.

"Look Giles, let me and Sam handle the demons, no heroics okay?"

"I have fought many battles in my time, defeated many enemies," Giles intoned confidently.

"I don't care," Dean grunted. "Knowing how people feel about you, I don't want you to jumping in and taking a bullet for me or Sam. So just don't do anything stupid."

Feeling a pair of eyes glaring at him, Dean turned his sights over his shoulder to see Sam raining a weighty gaze upon him.

"What?"

"Nothing," Sam muttered.

Hearing Leah's soft cries, Sam, Dean and Giles quickly ran into the Pastor's office. As the three flew through the doorway, Cass held Leah tightly by the arms as Gideon wielded the stake.

"Do it!" Sam growled. "Now Gideon!"

Demon Leah smiled wickedly at Sam and Dean as she began reciting in Enochian. Cass grimaced and stumbled backward, groaning deeply in pain. As Pastor Gideon lunged toward Leah, she flicked her hand, hurling him, Sam, Dean and Giles aside. Gideon picked himself up and took chase after Leah as she ran out of the office.

"No Gideon! Wait!" Sam called.

Sam, Dean and Giles got to their feet, leaving Cass behind. As they ran toward the chaotic noise echoing from the basement, several men in the crowd began wrestling and punching Pastor Gideon to the ground. Sam and Dean jumped in to assist, pummeling the demons surrounding Gideon. Giles dove for the stake as a demon jumped on top of him.

Dean glanced over at Giles as he wrestled with a demon, desperately snatching up a stone pot. Giles rammed the pot into the demon's face as another snuck up behind him.

"Giles! Watch your back!"

Dean turned his sights on another demon charging him, quickly stepping out of the way. When he knocked back his demon, Dean looked around to see complete melee as Sam was trying to prevent the people in the storage room from being burned alive while Giles boldly charged Demon Leah with his dagger. Demon Leah flashed a menacing grin as she held Giles' hand in the air with the power of her mind.

"Whoever you are, you're going to die," she taunted calmly.

Dean widened his eyes as Giles shoved the blade deep into his own abdomen. Giles gasped in agony as he collapsed to the ground, a pool of blood staining his shirt.

"Nooo!" Dean howled.

Through the fever of fighting, Dean spotted the cypress stake and claimed possession of it. He quickly bounded toward Demon Leah, gripping the stake tightly. She turned around and flicked her hand, knocking Dean off his feet. As the stake rolled out of his hand, Leah clamped her hands around his neck and began choking him. Dean struggled to snatch the stake that was just out of his reach.

Demon Leah scoffed as Dean managed to curl one finger over the tip of the stake.

"Oh come on, as if you're a Holy servant," she said derisively. "You're Michael's chosen vessel for the Heavenly host? You think you're going to save humanity? Well, my side has already won because you're pitiful, self-loathing and without an ounce of faith! The Apocalypse is about to slam down to Earth and all you can do is let it happen."

Demon Leah laughed heartily in amusement until Dean struck her hard in the face, loosening her grip around his neck. As she shook the impact off, Dean wasted no time, picking the stake up and swiftly slamming it into her heart.

"I wouldn't be so quick to believe that," he snarled.

Dean glared viciously down at Demon Leah as her body shuddered violently. The cypress stake ignited on fire and soon exploded, burning itself away. The chaos in the basement dissipated as Demon Leah's cry of agony echoed in the air, her body ravaged to ash. Jane and the others stared at the body in confusion.

"What….what does this mean for us?" Jane asked. "Are we still going to see Paradise?"

"Sorry but, I'm pretty certain that's not where you're headed," Dean replied grimly.

As Pastor Gideon uttered a low groan trying to get to his feet, Sam rushed over and assisted him.

"Hey, hey, take it easy," Sam said. "I've got you."

As confused townsfolk dispersed from the basement, Dean kneeled over Giles and examined him. Sam steered Gideon toward the basement stairs, pausing beside Dean. Sam gulped as he noticed Giles' face was pallid and his body still.

"He's pretty bad," Dean announced.

Dean gently levered Giles to his feet causing the Watcher to let out a deep moan. Giles briefly lifted his head and moaned again as Dean applied pressure to his abdominal wound.

"Hang in there Giles, okay?" Dean pleaded softly.

As he caught sight of a pair of shoes in Gideon's office, Dean shaded with a frown.

"Ah crap…."

"What?" Sam asked as he turned his attention away from Pastor Gideon.

"Two of us, three of them."

Dean nodded toward Gideon's office where Cass was propped up against the wall, clutching his head.

"We'll just have to come back for Cass," Sam said.

"Or, you can give him a piggyback ride."

Sam shook his head and led the way up the stairs. As they trekked up the stairs as delicately as possible, Sam threw a look of wonder at Dean.

"So….exactly how did you manage to do it?"

"Do what?"

"How did you kill Leah?"

Dean shrugged casually.

"Lucky shot," he proposed.

Sam raised an eyebrow as his face knitted with skepticism.

"Luck didn't have anything to do with it," he said. "You do remember the whole clause about the stake? You shouldn't have been able to kill her, but you did."

"Okay well, what do you want me to say? I had a shot and I took it."

As Sam lingered with more skepticism, Dean got the backdoor of the car open. After getting Gideon and Giles into the car, Sam went back for Cass. When Giles released a weak moan, Dean checked his fading pulse and then shaded with dread.

"Dammit Giles, you hold on," he grunted softly. "You hold on cuz when you get better I'm gonna yell at you for doing something stupid."

Hearing footsteps behind him, Dean swung around to see Cass leaning against Sam. Sam steered Cass to the other side of the car as Gideon moved to the middle of the seat. When the three injured men were settled in the backseat, Sam watched his brother staring ruefully at them for a long minute.

"Hey, you're not getting any crazy ideas, are you?" Sam asked apprehensively.

"Crazy how?"

"Oh, I don't know, like saying yes to Michael kind of crazy," Sam said bluntly.

Dean rolled his eyes and frowned with resentment.

"Oh good grief, gimme a little credit here Sam," he groaned.

As Dean started the car, Sam looked back when Giles kept mumbling something.

"What's he sayin?" Dean asked.

"I uh, I don't know, it's not English," Sam replied.

After a second, a bright green light flooded out of Giles' jeweled ring, quickly washing around him. As the sound of fluttering bounced around the car, Sam widened his eyes in astonishment.

"Uh, are those…"

"Fireflies, yeah," Dean confirmed.

As one lone firefly floated toward Sam, he gawked in amazement, drawing a finger to the magical insect. A funnel of green fireflies enveloped Giles' body as the flapping sound increased. Dean and Sam watched in shock as the fireflies consumed Giles' body, his flesh and then bone melting away.

"Uh, are they eating him?" Sam asked in horror.

Once Giles' body was completely washed away by the fireflies, the magical creatures disappeared into thin air. Pastor Gideon clutched his head as he stared at Sam and Dean in complete astonishment.

"Does that normally happen?"

"Nothing is ever 'normal' when it involves us," Dean stated.

* * *

After settling into the motel room, Sam tended to the Pastor's wounds, handing him an ice pack while Cass was resting on the couch. Dean paced anxiously around the room trying to get a working phone line.

"Dammit. Phone lines are still down," he moaned.

"I'm sure Giles is okay," Sam said. "You said those fireflies transported him here so it's likely they took him home."

"I don't know, it was different when he popped in here," Dean imparted. "It was a friendlier bunch, not the 'oh what a yummy carcass to eat' kind."

Sam let out a sigh as he took in his brother's pessimistic tone.

"I doubt Andrew would have let Giles come here without a plan for worse case scenarios," he said.

"Yeah, maybe."

"You have to stay positive," Sam exhorted.

Dean stuffed his phone in his pocket as he eyed Pastor Gideon.

"How you doin' Padre?"

"Well, there's two of each of you in this room," Gideon answered. "And the room won't stop spinning but I guess those painkillers haven't taken effect quite yet."

"They will soon and you're gonna be fine."

"No, I won't," Pastor Gideon said.

Dean forced an optimistic expression over his face as he lightly patted the Pastor on the shoulder.

"You will be in time."

As Sam finished patching up Gideon, he caught Dean heading toward the door.

"What are you doing?"

Dean frowned in annoyance as he took in Sam's heavily suspicious look.

"Dude, will you relax? I was gonna get a couple more medical supplies from the car, that's all."

"But we have plenty," Sam replied as Dean opened the door.

"Well, just in case," Dean said as he walked out.

After a moment of hesitation, Sam blew out a breath, turning his sights to the dressed wound on Pastor Gideon's forehead.

"Okay, that should do it, how's it feel?"

Sam tensed when he heard the familiar sound of the Impala's engine revving for take off. He shot to his feet and frantically raced out the door to see the Impala speeding away.

* * *

Several hours later, in the middle of the night:

As highway sign after highway sign passed by in a blur, Dean kept his foot heavy on the gas pedal even though his mind was spinning incessantly. When his cell phone buzzed along the passenger seat, he switched it off and buried it in his pocket. He knew it was Sam trying to track him down, to talk him out of what he had already set out to do. He made a mental list of the handful of things he needed to square away before commencing with his final battle plan against Lucifer.

After a minute, he cranked up the radio, trying to flush out the chaos ravaging his nerves. "Good Day Sunshine" by the Beatles was blaring through the speakers as he felt a prickling numbness cloaking his mind. As McCartney and Lennon crooned about bright days and finding happiness with a loved one, Dean heard an entirely different voice and song springing forth over the tune.

_You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy….._

Dean gripped the steering wheel tightly as that little voice resonated in his ears, haunting him like she and her mom always did. He couldn't even imagine the amount of death and destruction about to rain on the world in the next couple of days or how many people would survive when it was all over. He should have pulled over at the first road side church he saw to get the balls rolling. But the painful ache in his heart conjured only one thing in his mind, one place he needed to go before the blue sky went black. And though he had sworn to never see them again, he couldn't let the seeds of worry sprout and flourish in her mind, wondering if she and that marvelous kid would see another day. As tears gathered at the base of his throat, his mind tumbled deep into the past, into his bank of heavily guarded and treasured memories.

_Allie spooned out a bite and stuffed it in her mouth. _

"_Ravioli! Yummy!"_

_Allie stood up in her chair and began dancing excitedly on it. Buffy drew a hand over Allie's shoulder, trying to settle her antics._

"_Sit down please," she said sternly._

_Allie remained standing on her chair, scooping out another bite. _

"_Allie, you need to sit down, you could fall off the chair."_

_Allie shook her head as she stuffed another big bite in her mouth._

"_I won't fall."_

"_Allie, sit down, we have company," Buffy repeated._

_When Allie remained standing, Buffy hung her eyes down and sighed before looking up at Dean._

"_I'm sorry, when she gets hyper like this, she doesn't want to listen to me," she moaned. _

_Buffy pulled Allie's chair closer to the table and gripped her securely. Allie scowled and wiggled out of Buffy's hold._

"_Allie," Buffy sighed in exasperation._

_As Allie waggled on her chair, Dean hooked her eyes, drawing a serious look._

"_Hey Allie, you want to have a seat? Show me some good table manners?"_

_Allie stopped wiggling and stared down at Dean. She tossed a lock of her hair over her shoulder and shook her head._

"_I like to be up here! I don't want to sit down," she said defiantly. _

"_Well, you need to," Dean said adamantly. "Chairs are meant for sitting on, not standing. If you want eat with me and your mom, you need to sit down."_

_Allie scowled and stared down at Dean for a long moment. Buffy watched in awe as Allie and Dean were in a glaring contest. _

"_What's it gonna be?" Dean said in a stern tone._

_After another second of staring, Allie huffed sharply but sat back down in her chair. Buffy widened her eyes in complete astonishment as Allie picked up her fork and went back to eating._

"_Oh my," Buffy gasped. "I usually give her a couple of chances in my 'assertive tone' and she still doesn't back down but one look from you and she folds. So not fair!"_

_Buffy shook her head and moped as Allie held her hands out to Dean._

"_I need napkin," she requested._

_Dean hooked Allie with a knowing look._

"_What do you we say?"_

"_Um...please?"_

_Dean swiped up a napkin from a stack sitting in a tray on the table. He handed it to Allie, who took it and wiped her mouth._

"_Thank you!" she cooed, shining a smile._

_Dean broke out of his stern look and smiled._

"_You're welcome."_

_Allie looked up at Buffy with a congenial smile._

"_Mommy, can I have some juice? Please?"_

"_Sure sweetie, apple or grape?"_

"_Grape!"_

_Buffy got up from the table as Dean cupped a hand over Allie's head._

"_That's the sweet girl I know," he cheered. _

_Buffy returned to the table with a pink Disney Princess sippee cup and handed it to Allie._

"_Thank you," Allie said._

_Buffy beamed a maternal smile, kissing Allie's cheek._

"_You're welcome sweetie."_

_As Allie drank her juice, Buffy gazed at Dean with incredulous eyes. After feeling the weight of her stare, he looked up from his plate._

"_What?"_

"_Oh um, it's just...you kind of...amaze me," she confessed._

_Dean hitched an eyebrow up as he wiped his own mouth._

"_Just 'kind of'? Well, that's disappointing. I was shooting for full on shock and awe."_

_Buffy sputtered with a laugh when he exaggerated his disappointment._

"_Uncle Dean, will you take me to the aquarium?"_

"_The aquarium? Is that where Ariel lives?"_

_Allie bellowed with a deep giggle and shook her head._

"_No, she lives in the ocean."_

_Dean feigned a confused look as he scratched his head._

"_I thought she lived in a clam shell or something."_

"_She does but it's in the ocean, under the sea."_

"_Ohhhhh. I feel dumb."_

_Allie patted Dean on the shoulder and drew a sympathetic look._

"_It's okay Uncle Dean, I still love you."_

_Dean balked in disbelief as Buffy sputtered with a deep giggle._

"_Hey, hey, I was joking and you were supposed to say, 'aw you're not dumb you're awesome," he moaned._

_Buffy rocked back, bursting with more laughter as Allie shined a toothy grin. _

"_You're awesome!" she squealed._

"_Oh Allie, don't tell Dean what he already knows….at least in his mind," Buffy replied with a teasing smile._

"_Oh you're just jealous cuz she didn't say it about you," Dean shot back with a smirk._

_Buffy rolled her eyes in jest and groaned, "What-ever. Stop coercing her into liking you the best with that 'natural charm'."_

"_I told you I can't help having natural charm."_

_Buffy rolled her eyes before she joined Dean in brief laughter. Allie bounced in her seat as she tugged on his jacket sleeve._

"_Uncle Dean! Will you take me to the aquarium for my birthday?_

"_Your birthday's coming around huh?"_

"_Uh huh. I want to go to the aquarium mommy!"_

"_Again? You've been there like five, six times already this year with not just me but your aunt Dawn and aunt Carol…."_

"_I haven't been there with Uncle Dean, I want to go!"_

"_We'll go back at the end of the year like I promised," Buffy said. "That's when the new 'Polar' wing will be finished, you know, where the penguins will be housed."_

"_Penguins!" Allie said gleefully. "Penguins! I love penguins!"_

"_I know but they won't be there until the end of the year."_

_Dean felt his heart stop as the reality of his life came crashing back in. The solace blanketing his broken soul had quickly unraveled as he sank in his seat, looking off._

"_End of the year," Dean muttered softly._

"_Yeah, that's not too far away," Buffy said. "I mean lately, time seems to be flying so fast you know?"_

"_Yeah, I know," he sighed._

* * *

_As he looked over the parts of the slide, Allie darted up behind him, clutching her hands around his neck, playfully hanging off him._

"_I love you being here!" she roared gleefully. "Will you come back tomorrow and play?"_

_As she jumped up and down, Dean gently broke her hold and held her still._

"_I'm sorry sweetheart but I can't."_

"_But why?"_

"_I have to get back to my job."_

"_When you come back?"_

_As he stared into Allie's bright hazel eyes, he dipped his sights down, feeling remorse tugging in his system._

"_I don't know," he said softly. "It's hard to say."_

_Allie patted the step of the patio deck before taking a seat._

"_Okay, I'll wait for you right here!"_

_Dean stopped what he was doing and heaved a sigh as Allie patiently sat on the step. He took a seat next to Allie, pulling her chin up so her eyes met his._

"_No, Allie, I don't want to do that," he said firmly. "I don't want you to waste one minute wondering when I'm gonna come around. Your life is about you and your mom, that's all that matters. So don't wait okay? I want you to spend every minute of every day just having fun and showing your mom how much you love her and need her. Cause you – you are everything to her."_

Dean faded out of his reel of memories as streaks of light painted the horizon. Once he passed the Illinois border, it was like the dam capping off his memories had broken away. Mile after mile, the flashbacks unloaded in his mind at an alarming rate. The small well of memories about Buffy Summers invaded his conscience.

He replayed the first time he ran into that mysterious blonde in Cicero, saw the anger and annoyance knitted on her face when he tried to run her out of town, absorbed the immense remorse in those hazel eyes as he comforted her in the hospital, relished the sound of her laugh and the glow of her smile; he saw the fear hanging on her brows as she went into labor; saw the gratitude in her expression as he put Allie in her arms. Then that precious kid of hers ran circles in his mind. He heard her infectious giggles, saw that big, bright grin and the soulful eyes of her mother. The perfect picture of a family rippled intensely before his eyes; an amazing girl and her awesome daughter were living the life most hunters never touched. As much as he cared about those two, sometimes he wished he had never met them, for he would never have seen first hand what real happiness could be.

For just a moment, Dean hesitated staying on the highway leading through Chicago. If Buffy had even an inkling of what he was going to do, he knew she would try and talk him out of it, maybe even get herself involved. He couldn't take the chance. He had already resolved to put a stop to the madness going on in the world and there was no road back. He was okay with dying, with leaving the world without a word, Sam and Bobby and Cass would probably hate him for his decision and he was okay with that, with doing this on his own.

As he passed by a mile marker sign, Dean felt his nerves prickling sharply in his system. He had a few hours to pull his thoughts together before he hit Cohasset. When his doubts crept through his mind, Dean blew them out and kept his foot steady on the gas pedal.

This was his one and only chance to speak his mind.

* * *

Buffy glanced at the clock and groaned softly as she finished cleaning the patio doors. She tossed the rags in a bucket on the deck as Allie played in a pink hut.

"Allie! Come inside please!" Buffy called anxiously. "We need to get you ready for the party. Come on sweetie."

Allie rifled through the hut's storage drawers, placing little drink cups on the bar.

"Allie, we need to leave soon!"

"But I want to play!" Allie moaned.

"You'll get to play all day at Violet's party," Buffy said gently. "Come on baby, let's get ready okay?"

Allie heaved a sigh as she pulled her pink tricycle into the house.

"Allie, come on, we need to get going."

Buffy let out a breath as Allie rode around the kitchen, not paying attention to her.

"Allie…."

Buffy pushed out another breath when she heard a soft rapping at the door.

"Five more minutes and then we HAVE to get ready."

* * *

Dean shifted apprehensively on the porch as he rehearsed his thoughts.

When the door swung open, he did a double take after seeing the profile of a brunette haired girl. He eased back to check the house number until the hazel eyes meeting his were unmistakable.

"Dean," Buffy gasped in surprise. "Hi!"

Dean reeled with shock as he raked his eyes over her. Buffy glanced over her shoulder, briefly checking on Allie, still riding around the kitchen and humming to herself. Buffy let out a sigh as she veered her attention back to Dean.

"Hey Buffy," he said. "You uh, you changed your hair."

Buffy cracked a modest smile as Dean marveled in her new look.

"Oh um yeah, it's a big hit among the crowd," she joked.

"I can see why. It looks great. You look….great."

Dean tried his best to express his enthusiasm but could only manage a half smile. Buffy returned with that warm smile as she leaned in the doorway.

"Thanks," she said. "I'm glad to see you're alive and well, I mean, it's been awhile since you've dropped in…..not that I expect you too or that you should feel obligated….it's just….."

Buffy flashed a sheepish look as she found herself stumbling over her thoughts.

"You get worried," Dean finished, passing her a forgiving look.

"Yeah, I do," Buffy sighed. "I know I'm not supposed to but…"

"It's just who you are, I know."

Buffy tipped back on her heels and widened her eyes in amazement.

"I guess you do, you're finishing my thoughts," she said before spurting with a short laugh.

Dean pushed his half smile an inch higher as Buffy settled her amusement.

"Gosh, I'm sorry, come on in," she stressed as she widened the door and stepped aside.

Dean drifted out of his fake smile as he shook his head.

"I can't stay," he said politely.

Buffy gave an understanding nod.

"Oh um, okay."

"I just came by to…..to uh….."

Buffy watched curiously as Dean took out his wallet and picked through the credit cards. As he held it out, he made his best effort to shove some more optimism over his face.

"To give you this," he replied. "Allie's got a birthday coming up and I…..you know I'm…I'm not gonna be around so…..take her to that aquarium she loves so much and buy whatever she wants ….my treat."

Buffy glanced at the credit card after Dean set it in her hand. She drew an amused smile when she read the name on the card.

"Or it's Siegfried Houdini's treat," she corrected before she broke into laughter again.

"It's a good card."

"I'm sure it is," Buffy said. "But you really don't have to."

"Just take it. Please," Dean persisted.

Buffy capitulated with a deeply appreciative smile.

"Okay, thank you," she said. "You're always so generous when it comes to Allie."

"Uncle Dean!"

Allie burst down the hall and squeezed passed Buffy, barreling toward Dean.

"Uncle Dean!" she squealed. "You're here! You're here!"

Allie jumped up and down, begging for a hug. Despite all his restraint, Dean felt his knees bending and his arms opening to receive Allie. Dean sucked in a long breath when that familiar, welcoming warmth flooded through his heart.

"Hey Allie Cat," he said shakily.

Dean sucked in a deeper, longer breath, trying to cap off the well of tears that sprung thick in his eyes as he held Allie a bit longer, knowing it was the last time he would ever see this precious little girl again.

Allie inched back and looped her small hands around his neck, kissing his cheek. Dean felt his composure rapidly cracking away as Allie's hazel eyes glistened with sheer joy.

"I'm so happy to see you!" she cooed. "Come in and play!"

Allie grabbed his hand and tried tugging him through the door.

"Allie, we've got to get you ready for Violet's party," Buffy reminded.

Allie sulked heavily as she looked up at Buffy.

"I don't want to go," she cried. "I want to play with Uncle Dean."

"You don't want to go? But you've been so excited about it," Buffy said. "I thought you couldn't wait to see Violet and play with her all day."

Allie shook her head and moped deeper.

"No, I want to stay here with Uncle Dean."

Allie tugged on Dean's hand again as Buffy blew out a breath.

"Are you ready to play?" she asked anxiously.

Dean issued a soft sigh as Allie pinned him with an endearing smile. He swept a hand over her head, reciprocating with that same half effort smile.

"I can't stay long sweetheart, I'm sorry," he said gingerly. "But it sounds like you got a nice party to go to, so why don't you go upstairs and get ready like your mom asked you to and then - have lots and lots of fun, for me, okay?"

Allie stared up at him with those soulful eyes as her mouth slowly shifted into a grin.

"Okay!"

Dean brushed a thumb across her chin before giving her a soft pat on the shoulder.

"Okay, go on now," he prompted.

Allie grinned wider before she darted up the stairs.

"I'll be right with you," Buffy replied as she glowed with a maternal smile.

As Allie giggled, Dean etched her smile into his bank of memories, cherishing the last few moments he had spent with her. When Buffy addressed him, he pulled in his emotions, setting his sights back on her.

"I don't know how you do it, but thank you," she said. "Allie's been a bit finicky lately with….well everything."

"It's probably just a phase," Dean assured. "I'm sure you'll handle it well, like you always do with everything."

After a very small expression of admiration, Dean dipped his eyes to the ground and heaved a breath. Buffy leaned in the doorway, stirring with immense curiosity when she picked up on the melancholic tone in his voice. As the silence lingered and his sights remained down, Buffy shifted in the doorway, her brows furrowing with wonder.

"Dean…..is something wrong?"

Dean forced his head to nod as he drove his fingers into the back of his neck and attacked the steely knots choking his nerves.

"No, no, everything's fine," he answered. "Everything's good….it's all good…I'm good…..I'm….."

After he braved a look into eyes of a champion, he finally surrendered with a deep sigh and shook his head.

"Okay, no," he confessed. "I'm not good at all."

Without hesitation, Buffy nodded toward the living room.

"Come in and sit down," she urged. "Let me just get Allie dressed and then we can talk about whatever is on your mind."

Dean inhaled a breath, struggling to contain himself as he absorbed the compassion shining in her eyes.

"No, no, that's okay. You have somewhere to be and I...well I just came by to say...I'm not kidding myself anymore, you know? I'm not some ridiculous dreamer," he said bluntly. "My life is the way it is and nothing is gonna change that. This is all there is for me, I know that. And it's okay, I've accepted it."

Buffy gasped softly when she saw the wealth of sadness flickering in his eyes. Her own eyes sprung with moisture as she gripped the crook of his arm and shook her head.

"Don't talk that way," she asserted. "And don't think that way. I know it's a hard life but you can't let yourself…"

"Please, just let me finish," Dean requested softly.

Buffy let out an uneasy breath as she relented to his request.

"I just...I just wanted to tell you that occasionally, when I do think about having something...different...when I do think about what I would want to have, what that would be like…..what would….make me happy, it's...it's a perfect world where I can just _live in peace_..." he said wistfully.

Dean sucked in a breath as his eyes spurted with moisture and his face cracked with yearning.

"It's right here," he professed. "With you and Allie."

Buffy widened her eyes and drew in a soundless gasp of disbelief.

"The both of you have changed my life and I….I'm never gonna forget that," he continued as his face bled with a nostalgic look. "I haven't forgotten - cuz in the moments that I've been here, no matter what crap is going on with me, you two always manage to make me feel...whole again."

After a long minute, Buffy propped a hand against the doorway as she felt her balance wavering.

"I know that's a lot to digest," he acknowledged.

Buffy blew out a deep breath as awkwardness flooded her cheeks.

"Yeah, I….I um…..I don't know what to say," she said sheepishly.

"It's okay."

"No, no, I...I mean, I….I never thought you felt that way….about me….."

"Well, there it is," Dean said quickly.

After pivoting toward the sidewalk, Dean threw a look over his shoulder, and drank in his very last image of Buffy Summers, one hell of a woman he had the fortune to meet in his unfortunate life.

"Thanks Buffy, for everything."

As Dean stepped off the porch, Buffy sprung off her feet and hooked a hand over his wrist, pulling him back.

"Woah, wait a minute."

Dean bellowed with a sigh as the inevitable point of questioning had arrived. He hadn't really expected to make a quick exit after laying out all his cards considering who he was dealing with. The best he could do now was to keep her priorities at the surface of her mind.

"You can't just say something like that to me and then walk away," she exclaimed.

"That was pretty much my intention," he admitted. "I know it's kind of crappy but it just had to be this way."

Buffy stared up at Dean in utter bewilderment until something in his eyes tugged at her instincts.

"What's going on? You can tell me."

Dean remained tight lipped, simply turning to leave but Buffy countered his actions by firming up her grip on his wrist.

"You KNOW that I worry," she said. "And you showing up here, saying what you did, looking the way you do, you can't expect me to NOT be worried."

"I know. That's why I came by. You've probably gotten a sense or seen some weird crap going on lately and unfortunately, it's gonna get a lot worse in the next couple of days."

"Well, how bad are we talking about? And please don't water it down with a 'don't worry about it' because I'm pretty much beyond that point now. Tell me what's going on," Buffy demanded.

Dean drew a steadfast expression as he shook his head.

"All I'll say is – with what you've managed to live through; you deserve to see this life out – to watch Allie grow up and…go off to college and fulfill all of her dreams – do whatever she wants to do – with you always around to love and protect her. No matter what, there's a future for you, for both of you. So despite whatever goes down, nothing's gonna touch this town. You and Allie will be safe. I will guarantee it."

Buffy pumped her eyes wide as mass anxiety and wonder surged through her veins.

"Guarantee my safety? Oh god Dean, what's going on?"

"Where I'm headed next, they're not gonna get me until they agree to my conditions."

"Who's not gonna get you? What conditions? What are you about to do Dean?"

"I have to go."

Dean batted Buffy's hand off his wrist as he bounded down the walkway toward his car. Buffy was right on his heels, cutting him off in the middle of the walkway.

"You're not going anywhere until you tell me what you're going to do," Buffy declared.

"I'm sorry but I won't," Dean said adamantly.

Dean side stepped around Buffy but she closed in on him, her face fierce with determination and concern.

"Do NOT make me knock you out and drag you inside," she growled. "Because I will if I have to."

As Buffy held him with an intense glare, Dean folded slightly, his face breaking briefly with a rueful expression.

"Buffy, please, this is not your life anymore, just go back inside and get Allie to her party. Keep being a great mom and a great woman."

When his eyes grew sheen with emotion, Buffy widened her own in horror as an unsettling realization struck through her.

"Oh my god," she gasped. "You think it's the end..."

"I don't think, I know it is," he said grimly.

Buffy steadied herself as her knees started to shudder.

"Whatever it is Dean, it's not a hopeless situation," she said emphatically. "It's NEVER hopeless. It may seem like it is, it may seem like you keep getting knocked down or that the bad guys get away or that you'll never see the light in a dark world, but you can't think that way. You have to keep getting back on your feet and you have to keep fighting!"

Dean steeled himself when he saw the tears flowing from her eyes.

"There's just no point anymore."

Buffy cracked with dread as more tears rolled down her cheeks. As Dean pushed off toward his car, Buffy mustered the feeling back into her legs, taking after him.

"Mommy, come here!" Allie called from upstairs.

When she hit the fence line, Dean cupped his hands on her shoulders and stopped her in her tracks.

"Buffy, please just stop," he urged. "The only one that matters is that kid up there. Just like I did when we met, I'm gonna speak for her. She needs you. And I need you to keep being around for her. So just go back inside and don't worry about me or anything that happens after tomorrow."

Buffy shuddered with tears as her bottom lip trembled.

"And what am I supposed to tell Allie if she never sees you again huh? You know how much she loves you, what you mean to her, to me."

"Mommy?" Allie called again.

"I'm sorry but I have to do this," Dean said very softly.

Dean forced air through his lungs, completely shattered by the look of disappointment hanging on Buffy's face. He cradled her face with his hands, wiping the fresh tears from her cheeks.

"Dean, just come inside and…."

Dean cut off her protests by planting a tender, soft kiss of admiration and affection on her mouth. As she heaved a gasp, Dean pressed his forehead against hers and soaked in the feeling of immeasurable warmth the Summers' girls never failed to infuse within him.

"Goodbye Buffy," he murmured. "Be happy."

"Dean," Buffy gasped.

As Allie's calls drew Buffy's eyes away, Dean quickly headed for the car before she could make anymore protests. Without looking back, Dean got in the car, gunned the engine and pulled away from the curb.

"Mommy, I want to wear this!"

Buffy slowly turned toward the door as Allie waved a dark pink dress while she skipped down the stairs.

"Are we going to the party now? Mommy?"

Allie ran through the doorway and tugged fervently on Buffy's hand until she snapped out of her panicked daze.

"Mommy? Are we going now?"

"Um, yeah, let's get you dressed."

Buffy swallowed back the remaining tears in her eyes as she ushered Allie back into the house and shut the door.

"Mommy, will Uncle Dean come back soon?" Allie asked with a sweet smile.

Buffy stamped down on her quavering lips as she raked a hand through a lock of Allie's hair.

"I miss him," Allie pouted.

Buffy kneeled in front of Allie, meeting her eyes.

"I know sweetie, I know how much you do," Buffy stated.

Buffy kissed Allie's forehead and shined a determined look.

"And I promise you that you will see him again. I promise you."

* * *

Up next – the gang has some explaining to do as Buffy finds out everything in the conclusion.


	14. Chapter 14

**Ch. 14 What You Don't Know, Won't Hurt You**

This update includes episode Point of No Return.

Okay, so I know I said this would be the conclusion but after I finished watching the last four episodes of season five I have a lot of material left to cover. The conclusion will be after this chapter.

* * *

**A few hours earlier:**

Sam flew down the main highway, taking chase after his brother who had nearly two hours on him. Knowing an interchange was coming up in twenty miles, Sam picked up his cell phone from the passenger seat and dialed a number. He had already tried calling Dean several times but his brother, not surprisingly, had shut off his phone. After the second ring, the line picked up.

"Sam! Oh how good it is to hear from you! I've been so worried since I tracked those demons in Blue Earth. Are you okay?"

Sam glanced at the mile marker signs and pushed the gas pedal deeper into the floorboards. By the time he had found a car to hotwire, he had lost fifteen minutes on tracking his brother down, though he had a strong sense of where Dean was headed. There weren't too many places his brother would have sought to go in the final hours of his life.

"I'm fine Andrew," Sam said. "What about Giles? We saw some fireflies….um devour him."

"Oh, yes, Giles was returned to us in pieces," Andrew said.

"In…pieces? I'm really sorry," Sam lamented.

"What? Oh no no, that was supposed to happen in the event Giles was mortally wounded on his mission," Andrew explained. "You see those deflorias are a special breed, created them myself actually. When Giles was injured, they consumed his body and brought him back to us. He's in surgery now, I'm just waiting for news."

Sam let out a breath of relief as he spotted the interchange signs down the highway.

"Oh. That's good, well, keep me posted," he said.

"I sure will."

"Anyway, I'm calling because I need a favor."

"Oh! A favor from me? Of course, of course, you know I'd do anything for you Sam," Andrew said eagerly. "Name it."

"I need an address on Buffy," Sam said quickly.

"Buffy? I didn't realize you two spoke," Andrew replied. "Are you going to visit?"

"Um, no, I haven't really talked to her. I just need to know where she is," Sam said urgently.

"Oh, okay," Andrew said. "She's living the good life with her little diva in Cohasset, it's about two hours outside of Chicago. I can text you the address."

"Please."

"Consider it done," Andrew said emphatically. "Anything else?"

"No," Sam said. "Just update me on Giles' condition when you can."

"Okay, goodbye Sam. It was so nice to speak with you!"

"Um yeah, you too," Sam muttered.

Sam quickly hung up as he approached the interchange. He hopped onto the highway leading to Illinois, clamping down deeper onto the gas pedal.

* * *

Meanwhile:

Buffy eased her car onto a brick paved driveway hugging a three acre property in the upscale area of Cohasset. The fresh air swept over her face as she got out of the car, soothing her flushed cheeks, but it did nothing to alleviate her tightening nerves. She forced herself to take several deep breaths as she unbuckled Allie from her car seat. A bridge of pink and white floral shaped balloons hung over the main party location - a large garden adjacent to the two level manor.

"Wow, that's the biggest house I've ever seen!" Allie squealed with wide eyes. "It's like a castle!"

"Yeah, um, it is huh?" Buffy said shakily.

As Buffy picked up Allie in her arms and steered toward the garden, she tried to push back the swell of dreadful thoughts gathering in her mind.

"Pink flower balloons! Mommy, I want a balloon!" Allie cried. "Please mommy?"

Buffy chewed on her bottom lip as more anxiety and dread clouded her mind.

"Mom-my! Why aren't you listening to me?" Allie demanded. "Mommy?"

Buffy snapped out of her daze and regarded Allie's heavy scowl.

"Huh? I'm sorry sweetie, I was thinking about….something. What did you need?"

"I want a pink balloon!"

"Oh. Well, we'll ask Violet's mom if you can take one at the end of the party, okay?"

Allie drew a satisfied smile as she skipped through a tall white trellis. Several folding tables were set up with food, drinks and presents as a dozen little girls in dresses sat around a smaller table sprinkled with glittery favors.

"Oh, there's Violet. You go ahead and say hi to the birthday girl okay? I'm just gonna go put this by her presents," Buffy said as she waved a birthday bag.

Allie ran off to the party table, quickly latching arms with Violet. Buffy watched Allie for a minute before rummaging through her purse for her cell phone. She frowned in disappointment when she saw her battery was nearly drained.

"Figures," she moaned softly.

"Is something wrong Buffy? You look a little stressed."

Buffy whipped around to see Daniela, Violet's mom, carrying a tray of mini pizzas to the food table.

"Oh, um, yeah, I'm fine. I just wanted to make a quick call but I forgot to charge it last night."

"Oh, you can use our land line if you want," Daniela offered graciously. "William isn't much for cell phones. He's very old fashioned – he still listens to cassette tapes and record albums. Can you believe that?"

"No, wow, he's stuck in the past, huh?"

"Yes, most days he is, but I'm slowly luring him onto web chat since our mums are online a lot, they love Ebay!"

"The web! You know, I just remembered that I still have my laptop in the car, I think I'll try to get a hold of my friend that way."

"Oh, sure, the password to connect to my wi-fi is 'marketmum', all small letters," Daniela revealed. "I can watch Allie until you get back."

"Oh, thanks, but I won't be far."

Buffy glanced through the garden and witnessed Allie, Violet and the rest of the little girls having a tea party. Buffy withdrew a breath as she strolled the short distance to her car. She had been utilizing her laptop during lunch breaks to keep on top of her online classes. In the midst of her hectic schedule, she had often neglected bringing her tote bag inside the house at the end of the day. This afternoon, she was grateful to have it on hand after her cell phone so rudely conked out.

Once inside the car, Buffy swept her eyes back to Allie, still joyfully involved in a tea party. She forced out several breaths as she tapped on to Daniela's Wi-Fi signal, hurriedly inputting the password. When she had secured a connection, she logged into her web chat account. She groaned deeply when the system took painstakingly long to load. As a full minute ticked by, Buffy swept the laptop around, hoping to capture a stronger signal. Outside the car, she could hear the echoes of fervent little squeals. Buffy glanced back into the garden and saw the girls chatting and giggling as Daniela passed out the mini pizzas. Buffy sighed in relief as she shifted her sights back to the computer.

"Great," she moaned when she saw the web chat system still trying to log on.

Buffy scrambled through her purse, taking out her cell phone again. It beeped and flashed at her before powering down. She growled in her throat when the web chat system window finally popped up. She hurriedly pinged Andrew and waited for him to answer. Hearing more giggles, Buffy peered through the windshield to see Allie contentedly eating and chatting with Violet.

For a long moment, Buffy drifted back to the night she first met her beautiful girl - the night Dean showed up at her doorstep inviting her out for a bite to eat. She had sensed a weight of sadness hanging in his eyes back then, and now, it was clear that same gray feeling still haunted him. She remembered his fierce determination to protect Allie before she was even born and she was astounded that after all these years, he still held steadfast to that vow. And now, ever since he had left her house, her mind was still reeling over his confession of wanting a peaceful life with them; and then, that kiss…..

Her eyes welled with tears and her heart shivered when she absorbed Allie's delighted expression as she and Violet took turns putting on glittery pink crowns.

_There's a future for you, the both of you….._

How in the world was Dean able to make a vow like that? What forces were at work that had broken him down so much that he was ready to give up? In her past experience, the gloom that had darkened his eyes was all too familiar. She had lost so many people in her life and the reality of losing someone who had formed such a strong paternal bond with her daughter was heartbreaking.

Her lips shook violently and her eyes thickened with tears. Her gut turned over incessantly with one blaring instinct - wherever Dean ran off to, he believed he wasn't coming back.

Buffy sucked in several deep breaths as tears streamed down her cheeks. She shook her head, trying to stamp the horror bleeding into her bones. As an image of Dean spinning Allie until she was giggling with intense glee flashed in her mind, Buffy thought back to her promise. It was imperative that she break the code of silence that her friends had taken about discussing demon matters with her. Dean was too important to Allie, to her – to just stand by and let him do whatever it was he had in mind to secure their safety.

"Buffy! Oh sorry I kept you waiting so long - I've been up to my ears in stuff this morning. When it rains it pours around here! How are you? How's my little starlet?"

"She's good," Buffy said quickly. "I was going to call you on the phone but my battery died."

"Oh, well, I'm always happy to see you!" Andrew said gleefully. "Is there something I can do for you?"

"Yeah, I need you to tell me what you've been helping Dean with," Buffy said directly.

Andrew drew a prim smile as he folded his hands together and eased back in his chair.

"Well, it's certainly not manners," he muttered through his teeth.

Buffy darkened with an impatient frown as Andrew grumbled under his breath a little longer. Buffy leaned closer to the camera and shot her famous glare at Andrew.

"Andrew! Focus!" she growled. "This is important."

Andrew sputtered with a nervous breath as he tugged at the knot in his tie.

"Yyyes, yes, whatever you need Buffy, I'm here for you," he stammered.

Satisfied by his attentive look, Buffy checked on Allie in the garden. She was involved in a party game with the rest of the girls. Buffy shifted her sights back to the computer screen.

"So you and Giles and the gang, you've been helping Dean fight something – something that has to do with all the weird weather occurrences going on across the country?"

"Uh, weird weather? Like what?"

Buffy frowned cynically when Andrew tried to pass off an innocent look.

"Like a sea of dead fish in Maine, a two hundred year old dormant volcano in Hawaii suddenly setting off, or, the rainstorm of toads that hit my town not too long ago. Don't act like you don't know Andrew," she cited sharply.

Andrew fussed with his tie as his face knotted with hesitation.

"Mmmaybe I do know, but, it's nothing….."

Buffy held a hand up to cut him off and frowned with exasperation.

"Do NOT give me the, 'don't worry about it Buffy' or the 'you don't need to know' because right now, I am BEYOND worried so I DO need to know, _everything_ – NOW," she insisted. "No more keeping this from me Andrew."

Buffy intensified her glare until Andrew cracked with remorse. He buried his face in his hands and sniffled softly for a moment before his damp eyes met hers.

"Oh god Buffy, I'm so, so sorry," he wailed. "I never wanted to deceive you but Giles and the rest of the gang, they told me I couldn't say a word – Willow even threatened to obliterate my entire Star Wars action figure collection – and Faith nearly ran over my Darth Vader bust when I wanted to confess to you long ago! I was bullied into keeping quiet about the threat of an apocalypse!"

Buffy widened her eyes in disbelief as Andrew crumbled out of his chair and dropped to his knees.

"An apocalypse? Again?" she gasped.

Andrew crawled back into his chair and deepened his regretful look.

"Please, please don't be wrathful Buffy! Oh, I hate myself for lying to you!"

As Andrew started hyperventilating with sorrow, Buffy absorbed the weight of his earlier revelation.

"Andrew, take a breath and then start from the beginning."

Andrew dropped his head between his legs and bellowed with deep breaths. He began chanting softly as his eyes lulled in a meditative state for a moment.

"Okay," he sighed. "Our tale starts with the brave and selfless Sam Winchester…."

"Andrew, skip the narrative," Buffy demanded. "Just lay out the details and while you're doing that, I need you to track Dean down. He left here without a word about where he was going."

Andrew obediently nodded as he turned his chair toward another computer console and began typing.

"His phone must be turned off, I can't access him on GPS," he said. "I can hack into the satellites and see if his car turns up somewhere; it might take some time…."

"What about Sam? Have you talked to him?"

"Oh, yes, we spoke this morning actually; he wanted to know your home address."

"He did? Why?"

"I'm not sure why, we didn't talk very long," Andrew said. "I'm dialing him now…."

After a minute, Andrew heaved a sigh of disappointment.

"It went straight to voicemail, but give me a second….okay, I got him on GPS, he's…..crossing through the Illinois border now….."

Buffy let the information stew in her mind until a theory formed.

"What? Sam must be tracking his brother down," she said, sighing in relief. "I feel a little better knowing he's looking out for him. But I still need to know the rest."

"Yes, where was I?" Andrew said. "Well, a few years ago, Sam and I met on my web site, he needed help in finding a way out of the deal his brother made with a Crossroads demon – but Dean only did that in a desperate measure to save Sam, you see, Sam died – killed by a boy named Jake….oh goodness, to explain that I have to go back further."

"Okay, so go back."

Buffy lifted her sights and perused the garden grounds again. Allie and Violet were playing another game. Allie was having so much fun and Buffy couldn't bear the idea of taking her home now. But considering the state of the world and Dean's shocking revelations, she couldn't just sit down and make casual talk with the grown ups. Dean had done so much for her in the past that if she could help him, she would and nothing and no one was going to stop her.

"Well, Jake opened the Devil's Gate," Andrew continued.

Buffy snapped out of her whirlwind thoughts and gasped in recognition.

"You mean the gate that released….."

"Yoseth," Andrew gulped quietly. "I'm sorry…I didn't want to bring him up again…"

Buffy shook her head, too preoccupied by the present to let her past haunt her.

"It's okay," she said forgivingly. "Keep going Andrew."

Over the next half hour, as Andrew continued reporting details, Buffy kept frequent watch over the garden grounds, always aware of where Allie was. Presently, she was sitting on a large pink blanket, eating finger sandwiches and chatting animatedly with Violet and another girl. Buffy turned her eyes back to Andrew when she heard him sniffle.

"….we tried everything we could think of but unfortunately in the end, we couldn't save him," Andrew moaned. "No demon was willing to deal, they all wanted Dean dead. Sam was so disenchanted."

Feeling her cheeks streaked with tears of compassion, Buffy swept them away, trying to keep a grip on her composure.

"But even still, we kept working, right up until May first," Andrew explained. "Sam stopped returning my calls though and then….then his brother died on May second, torn apart by Hellhounds…."

"Wait, did you say May second?" Buffy repeated through a shaky breath.

"The evening before Allie was born, yes," Andrew confirmed.

Buffy widened her eyes as a squeak of shock sputtered through her mouth.

"Dean came to see me the night before he was going to die? Oh my….."

Buffy forced air through her lungs as the realization slammed through her.

"Tis a tragic story," Andrew said. "And then after, Sam went off the rails. He contacted me and Giles asking if we knew of a way to bring Dean back, to raise him from Hell….he was devastated, he needed hugs but he refused to listen to any reason…"

"He lost his brother," Buffy said understandingly. "Their dad died so they only had each other. What does this have to do with the Apocalypse?"

Buffy jumped in startle when a soft knock on the door broke the intense discussion. She caught her breath when she looked out her window and saw Allie staring up at her with curious eyes. Buffy rolled down the window and pulled a calm expression over her face.

"Mommy, what are you doing in the car?"

"Oh, I just had to check on something," Buffy replied with a maternal smile. "Are you having fun?"

Allie grinned and nodded.

"I'm having lots of fun! They're having the cake now!"

Buffy broke out of her anxious state for a time as she soaked in her little girl's effervescent grin.

"Come out here and have cake mommy," she said. "I don't want you to stay in the car by yourself!"

"Okay sweetie, just give me one second and I'll be right there," Buffy said. "Why don't you go back into the garden? Violet looks like she's waiting for you."

"Uh huh, her mommy said they'd watch and wait for me to come back!" Allie said with a smile.

"Oh, I'm so glad," Buffy replied. "Go on ahead – I'm a second behind you."

Allie nodded and skipped off back to the garden, under Buffy's watchful eyes. When Allie returned to Violet and Daniela, Buffy heaved a long breath and steered her eyes to the laptop screen. Andrew was off screen, talking to someone.

"Andrew?"

Andrew frantically ran back to his computer, looking frazzled.

"I'm here! Did I hear my little Alice?"

"Yeah, I have to go Andrew," Buffy said.

"Oh, okay," Andrew sighed.

"We're not finished," Buffy expressed adamantly. "I'll be home within the next hour and I want you to be there. I still have a lot of questions that need to be answered."

"Yes, of course," Andrew said eagerly. "I'll get myself transported right away."

"Good. And one more thing, text me Sam's number, I want to talk to him as soon as I get home."

"Okay, will do, I'll see you soon my lovely!"

* * *

After putting a sleeping Allie down for her nap, Buffy glanced at the time as she yanked her phone and charger from her purse. Hurriedly, she plugged her phone into the outlet beside her desk and powered it on. When the screen lit up, she saw a message from Andrew and quickly scrawled down the number, and then dialed it on her land line.

Buffy struggled with great difficulty to remain patient as the phone rang twice and then a third time. She rubbed a tight knot in the back of her neck as the line finally picked up after the fourth ring.

"Hello?"

"Sam! Thank god," Buffy gasped. "It's Buffy."

"Buffy? Uh, hey."

Hearing the incessant roar of a car engine in the background, Buffy let out a deep breath as her right foot tapped anxiously against the floor.

"Hey, are you in Cohasset yet?"

"Uh, I'm just entering Chicago," he said. "How did you….."

"I asked Andrew to track you down," Buffy said urgently. "I'm sorry to be so short and impersonal with you right now but I have to know, have you found your brother yet?"

"Um, no, not yet," Sam said. "I um, I had a hunch he went to see you….at least I assumed."

"Yeah, he was here earlier, he um, said some….stuff….but then he took off without saying where he was headed. He's in pretty bad shape Sam and ever since he left, I can't kick this awful feeling in my gut that he's about to do something drastic – like jumping off a cliff drastic! Do you have a clue to where he's going?"

As Sam paused on the other line for a long moment, Buffy clapped a hand on her jittery leg and steadied it.

"I think I might," Sam finally said. "I mean, I know my brother's habits so I'm pretty sure I can find him."

"Okay, so where he is off to?"

Taking in Buffy's family situation and unaware of how much she knew about the looming apocalypse, Sam refrained from unloading the grim details of his and Dean's battle against Lucifer.

"Buffy, I think it's better if I handle this," Sam said gently.

After a bout of contemplative silence, Buffy forced herself to stay calm, flushing back her apprehension.

"Okay. He's your brother and you know him best. But I need you to promise me, that when you find him, you'll do whatever you have to, to talk him off that proverbial ledge. Promise me," Buffy persisted.

"Um yeah, of course, I promise," Sam vowed.

Buffy bellowed with another long breath as a layer of anxiety broke away.

"Good. When you see him, tell him I want to talk to him."

"Okay."

"Oh and please call me and let me know Dean is safe."

"Okay."

"And Sam?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't give up. Even when it looks hopeless, you'll find a way, you just have to believe in it," Buffy declared.

Hearing a soft rapping at the front door, Buffy strolled toward it, clutching the phone to her ear.

"I have to go but keep your head up and…keep kicking ass," she added.

Sam unexpectedly chuckled very briefly in his throat. After hours of driving in a state of panic, the former Slayer had managed to lure out a moment of amusement and inspiration in the span of a few minutes. It was no wonder his brother was so crazy about her.

"I will," he said.

"Take care Sam. When this is all over, I hope you and your brother will come by and we can sit and talk about non end of the world stuff. And you can meet Allie."

Finding her positive outlook infectious, Sam felt his mouth bending with an enthusiastic smile.

"I'd like that, thanks."

Buffy said goodbye and pulled the door open to see Andrew, smoothing the wrinkles out in his velvet jacket.

"Buffy! I'm here and at your service!" he wailed as he dropped to his knees. "I will do whatever you wish to get back into your good graces!"

Buffy pulled Andrew inside and shut the front door.

"I forgive you Andrew as long as you don't evade my questions anymore."

"I'll tell you whatever you want to know," he said anxiously. "I've got the scoop on everyone."

"I just want you to pick up where you left off."

Buffy pointed to the couch and Andrew obediently rushed over, taking a seat. Buffy settled into her armchair as Andrew unzipped the backpack slung over his shoulder. He pulled out a thermos and a mug, extending both toward Buffy.

"Hot cocoa my lovely? Or, I have green tea."

Andrew yanked out another thermos from his backpack.

"No, I'm fine," Buffy insisted.

"Okay, let me think, where was I?"

"Dean...went to Hell," Buffy prompted very softly.

"Oh yes. Obviously, he was brought back, but why and by whom? This is where things get very intense….."

By the time Andrew updated Buffy on all the events leading up to the impending apocalypse, a painful numbness had gripped her bones. As her mind whirled furiously, Buffy pushed herself up and slowly walked around the living room, trying to pool the blood back into her veins.

"Lucifer is walking the Earth," she said in awe.

"Sam feels horrible for freeing him," Andrew moaned.

"So what's the plan to stop him?"

"There have been many," Andrew replied.

As Andrew imparted the various strategies the Scooby gang had expedited over the months, Buffy quickened her pace, feeling the blood running through her legs again. After several minutes of losing herself in the details, she glanced at one of the photos hanging on the wall of Xander and Willow.

"So that's how Xander got his broken arm and Willow ended up in a coma."

"Yes. They've all made speedy recoveries and Giles will too," Andrew blurted.

Buffy shrieked and widened her eyes in horror as her face flushed white.

"What? What happened to Giles?"

Andrew cowered on the couch as Buffy hovered over him, her eyebrows tense with a demanding look.

"Hhhe went to help Sam and Dean in Blue Earth, they were in trouble – major trouble and he…..he was stabbed in the gut by a vicious, lying little whore!"

Buffy frowned with wonder and took a step back.

"Huh?"

"The Whore of Babylon!"

Buffy folded down onto the couch next to Andrew and released a deep breath.

"What's his condition?"

"He's unconscious but the doctors managed to stop the bleeding. No damage to his internal organs. He just needs time to recuperate."

"Well thank god he's okay but in the future Andrew, whenever anyone gets hurt, minor or major, you pick up the damn phone and you call me!" she demanded.

Andrew raised his hand and nodded.

"I shall not keep anything from you ever again," he swore.

When something chirped in his backpack, Andrew reached inside and retrieved a sleek, palm sized portable computer. He flipped it open and tapped on a button, bringing up a live feed. Xander's face appeared on screen. He looked exhausted and had a few cuts on his cheek.

"Andrew, you sure picked a good time to leave," he moaned.

Andrew turned his nose up defiantly.

"When my Slayer needs me, I go! When my Slayer wants answers, I give them to her."

"You mean you….no Andrew!" Xander said admonishingly. "You were supposed to shut up."

"I don't answer to you!"

As Andrew scowled into the screen, Buffy snatched the device from him and addressed Xander, her face shrouding with fear.

"Xander, you know what Dean means to me and Allie. I won't lose him. So please just stop withholding stuff and get the gang together - NOW."

Xander's irritated look cracked with remorse.

"We didn't tell you because we didn't want to upset your life Buff," Xander said.

"I realize your intentions were good. But keeping something like this upsets me."

Disquieted by the immense tragedy and shocking revelations she had learned over the past few hours, Buffy crept up the stairs to check on Allie. Finding her still sleeping soundly, Buffy gently leaned down and planted a long kiss on the top of her head. After observing Allie for a second, her eyes pulled to the pictures on the dresser.

Buffy quietly padded to the dresser and picked up the picture of Allie and Dean, taken on May first. She remembered thinking Dean had shown such a rare display of emotion that night and an even more intense affection toward Allie. She had passed it off as the good hearted guy he had proven to be but now, she fully grasped the significance of Allie's birthday – a day of life on the eve before his death.

Overwhelmed by emotion, her hands shuddered violently, rattling the picture in her grip. Choked by a sharp pang in her heart, Buffy pushed air through her lungs several times, gently setting the picture back down on the dresser. As her eyes turned to Allie, soaking in her precious, peaceful expression, Buffy suddenly burst into tears. She dipped her face into her hands and allowed some of the well of compassion and fear out of her system.

A few minutes later, Buffy collected herself and trekked down the stairs, finding Andrew tidying up the toys and books scattered throughout the living room. Buffy shot him an appreciative look as she sat on the couch and picked up Andrew's mobile computer to see just Xander.

"Faith's making her way back from patrol," he said. "Will wanted to be here but she has a bad headache. She's still recuperating. And um, Giles is um…."

Xander looked away as he fidgeted in his seat.

"He's…."

"I know about Giles. And I know he'll be up and back on his feet in no time," Buffy said confidently.

Xander nodded in affirmation as Faith plopped down in the chair beside him.

"Hey B."

Buffy narrowed her eyes on Faith's right wrist which was wrapped in a gauze bandage.

"Is that from patrol or the Devil himself?" Buffy asked.

"Some of his loyal minions he sent to keep us all distracted," Faith said. "So you know everything?"

"Yes and I'll be mad about it later," Buffy said mildly. "Right now, I want to know what the latest strategy to tack Lucifer back to his cage is."

"We're always looking for new ways," Xander said. "And believe me, we've tried everything but Luci, he always seems to be one step ahead of us."

"But you're not giving up, are you?" Buffy pressed.

"Hell no," Faith said emphatically.

"We're working night and day," Xander added. "I don't think any of us have really slept much since Dean and Sam asked us for help."

Feeling the tides of anxiety rising through her system again, Buffy started massaging her temples.

"Well, explain to me why Dean has given up," she said.

Buffy took in Xander and Faith's utterly clueless expressions.

"What are you talking about?" Xander asked.

"Dean showed up here this morning and….said some things to me….things I'm still trying to process and then he ….he kissed me and it gave me this bad….."

"What? He kissed you?"

Faith roughly shoved Xander in the shoulder, pushing him and his chair out of the way.

"Woah, now who's been holding back on scoop?" she said with a silly grin on her face.

"It wasn't like that Faith, I mean….it gave me chills."

"That good huh?" Faith snorted.

Buffy couldn't even manage a margin of a smile with her mind and body so wracked with dread.

"I'm just trying to lighten things up a little," Faith sighed.

"Appreciated but not really helping."

Xander reappeared on screen, rubbing his sore shoulder. He scowled at Faith who kept her attention on Buffy.

"What I meant was, after everything he said - I knew it was a kiss….goodbye," Buffy cried softly.

As her eyes sprung with tears, she had to stop talking to combat the horrific scenarios burgeoning in her mind. Andrew wrapped a consoling arm around her shoulder as she swiped at the tears in her eyes.

"You should have seen him - he looked so defeated. Before he took off, he said that he could guarantee my safety. How can he make a promise like that? Who would have the power to….."

When the answer rippled to the surface of her mind, her eyes popped wide as she uttered a soundless shriek.

"The Angels…Michael….he's in charge right?"

"Yes," Andrew affirmed. "He's the big boss upstairs while his Grand Holiness is MIA."

"So that's what he meant when he said 'they're not gonna get me', he was talking about the angels," she concluded. "Oh, oh my god, he's going to surrender himself to Michael!"

Xander and Faith stared at Buffy in sheer astonishment.

"What?" they gasped.

Buffy took a breath before elaborating on Dean's promise to protect her and Allie.

"So he said your town would be safe from all the death and destruction but the rest of us are out of luck? Wow. What a standup guy Buff," Xander quipped dryly.

"He was in a very bad state of mind when he came here," Buffy explained. "He thinks it's the only way to stop Lucifer."

"Is he crazy?" Xander asked.

"Or stupid?" Faith proposed.

"He's a desperate man," Buffy said. "And despite all of your efforts and support, he's lost all hope."

"But that's just….suicidal," Andrew moaned. "Sam would be devastated if he lost his big brother."

"It's death by celestial body napping," Xander said flatly. "Not to mention human casualties in the billions."

Buffy shook her head as determination carved her face.

"We're not going to let any of that happen," she declared. "I talked to Sam and he's on his way to stop Dean."

"Well, let's hope he gets there in time," Faith replied. "All he's gotta do is hit a church or a devout homeless person."

"Sam promised he'd call me with news," Buffy said. "In the meantime, I'm going to borrow Andrew for awhile."

Faith swatted a hand through the air.

"Keep him if you want," she said. "After all, we know you called him first cause you could him break him down without much effort."

Faith drew a teasing smile as Buffy balked lightly.

"I did not," Buffy said in protest.

"That's right, Buffy genuinely adores me!" Andrew proclaimed just before the web cam faded out.

Buffy set aside Andrew's device and got to her feet. She began pacing around the room, trying to push back the worry fueling in her system.

"What's next? What can I do?"

As she reviewed the mountain of information she had learned over the past few hours, her brain began buzzing with curiosities.

"Get me all the research you've pulled so far, along with a log of your previous strategies for putting Lucifer down."

Andrew dutifully nodded as he yanked out a full size laptop from his back pack and took a seat at Buffy's desk.

"It's all in my journals, I'll download them onto your desktop."

"I also want to know more about the Angels in general, mentalities, weaknesses...do you think I could talk to Castiel?"

"He'd be an excellent resource for all things heavenly," Andrew affirmed. "Sam has told me that he has been a great ally and friend."

"Okay, let's get him down here. I assume we'd have to pray?"

Andrew dropped out of his chair and was about to take a prayer formation when Buffy plopped a hand on his shoulder.

"Perhaps you want to take the ward down? Frying an Angel on our side isn't exactly a great first intro."

Andrew took out his cell phone and remote dialed a code. The house emitted a buzzing sound for a minute before fading. Andrew returned to his knees and folded his hands together.

"Oh mighty celestial one they call Castiel, we call to you to answer our prayers! Please, please hear me."

After a long silence, Buffy felt an odd presence behind her. She swung her eyes around to see a dark haired man in a trench coat staring at her with distant eyes.

"You're Castiel," she said.

"Yes," he intoned.

"I'm Buffy."

"This house is warded by magic."

"Yeah, I let the ward down so you could be here."

"I was not so fortunate last time," Cass stated flatly.

"You've been here before?" Buffy asked with great surprise.

"Yes. I was looking for Dean but the ward kept me at bay," he explained. "I did not know who lived here or why I was not to come back here."

"Well, I'm, or was a Slayer."

Buffy watched the Angel cock his head up as his eyes narrowed on her.

"You are Buffy Summers," Cass acknowledged. "You have faced many formidable enemies. You defeated the First evil in a great battle and awakened thousands of new soldiers around the world."

"Well, I guess you do know me," Buffy said with a smile.

The Angel's face remained tense.

"You are a curiosity among the Garrison," he revealed. "There has been much discussion about you."

Buffy gaped in awe when she heard this.

"Are you serious? The Angels in Heaven are talking about me? I didn't realize I was such a water cooler topic," she snorted.

When the Angel simply frowned in puzzlement, Buffy cleared her throat in awkwardness, quickly shifting to the matter at hand.

"Can I….get you some coffee or…..something to eat?"

"I am fine," Cass replied succinctly.

"Okay, um, please sit then."

Buffy motioned to the armchair as she folded onto the couch. Cass frowned at Andrew as he remained on his knees, his cheeks stained with tears of remorse. When Cass stood rigidly where he was, Buffy let out a sigh as she patted Andrew on the shoulder.

"Andrew, would you give me a moment?'

Andrew nodded quickly as he scrambled to his feet and grabbed his laptop.

"I'll be in the kitchen," he said.

"Thanks Andrew."

Andrew scampered off toward the kitchen as Buffy turned her eyes on Cass as he grabbed the sides of his head and winced.

"Are you okay?"

Cass leaned against the armchair and winced deeper.

"Do you need some aspirin?"

"No, I shall be fine," Cass said in a monotone. "The Whore has been vanquished."

Buffy crooked an eyebrow as Cass slid into the armchair.

"The Whore of Babylon, guess she did a real number on everyone huh?" she said lightly.

Cass looked up at her with deep wonder as he clenched his temples again.

"Why did you call me here?"

"You're a friend of Dean's," Buffy stated.

"Yes. We have been through much together."

"I'm glad he's got you and Sam. He can't fight this war against Lucifer alone. That's why I wanted to talk to you, specifically about Lucifer and Michael…."

"What is it you wish to know?"

Over the next half hour, Buffy utilized her opportunity to sit down with Castiel, questioning him rapidly and extensively.

* * *

Meanwhile:

Once Sam entered the city limits of Cohasset, he traveled down Colonial Boulevard – the town's main road - and surveyed the block, mentally noting the hotels scattered throughout the downtown district. He was amazed at the span of culturally and socially rich venues littering each block he passed, from museums, to small churches of every religion, from mom and pop coffee shops, to a humongous Starbucks, to a multi floor Cineplex just a few steps away from an old movie theater. Cohasset was quite the burgeoning metropolis. He shook off his awe as he exited downtown and drove up a brick lined roundabout. At the yield, Sam quickly scanned his options. To the east, he saw a residential area of tree lined townhouses and apartment buildings. According to the address from Andrew, Serenity Road was about two and half miles east of Colonial. Sam doubted Dean would have stayed at Buffy's too long so he maneuvered the car along the roundabout and headed west, where rows of factories bled over the horizon.

As he eased slowly through the manufacturing district, he passed by several no name motels with parking lots facing the street. Sam kept heading down the road until a motel in particular caught his eyes. Mike's Motor Lodge was situated on the corner, but there was a sign directing guests to the parking lot down the block. Sam made a sharp turn across the intersection onto a narrow street leading to a dead end.

Once he reached the end, he spotted the rear of the Impala parked in one of the six space carports conveniently squared off by an eight foot white planked fence. He swung the car back around and out the alley, pulling along a curb on the main street.

Sam quickly took out his cell phone and hurriedly dialed.

"Come on Cass, pick up," he muttered.

* * *

Buffy exhaled a long breath as she digested Castiel's insight. Her fingernails rapped on her thigh as more curiosities stitched in her mind.

"What's your take on it all?" she inquired. "I mean, you've been on the frontline with Dean and Sam, but on a personal note, where do you stand?"

Buffy watched Castiel as his steely eyes looked away for a moment.

"What do you wish me to say?" he said when he met her eyes again.

"I don't 'wish' you to say anything that isn't the truth," Buffy said frankly.

Castiel looked away for a longer moment this time. Buffy opened her mouth in shock when despite having known the Angel for less than an hour, the doubt on his face was completely clear.

"I believe….that Dean will fail," he said gloomily.

The Angel dropped his eyes as Allie skipped down the stairs and ran into the living room.

Buffy swallowed Castiel's astounding admission as Allie hopped into her lap.

"Did you have a good nap sweetie? You slept a long time," Buffy said with a maternal smile.

"Uh huh, I was SO tired from all the fun at the party," Allie said. "I wanna watch the Backyardigans now."

"Well, your Uncle Andrew's here and he can take you upstairs to my room and you can watch it there. I've got a visitor but I'll be with you as I'm done okay?"

"Okay!"

Buffy kissed the top of her head before Allie hopped off the couch.

"I love you," Buffy said.

Allie skipped over to Cass and leaned against him as she stared up at him with her deep green eyes.

"Hi! I'm Allie!"

Cass stared intensely at Allie as she grinned and waved fervently.

"Hello," Cass said flatly.

"What's your name?"

"I am Castiel."

"Hi!" Allie said.

Bemused, the Angel frowned as Allie bounced excitedly at the new person in the room.

"Hello," he repeated.

"It's nice to meet you!" Allie squealed as she waved some more.

Buffy choked on a giggle when Cass stiffly waved back.

"Andrew?" Buffy called.

In a flash, Andrew rushed out of the kitchen with an eager smile.

"Yes my Queen! What can I do for you?"

"Can you take Allie upstairs to watch the Backyardigans?"

"Oh, of course! I would just love to, come on my little sparkle," Andrew chimed.

Andrew skipped off upstairs with Allie, leaving Buffy alone with Cass.

"The Slayer is with child," Castiel said in astonishment.

"I'm not the Slayer anymore," Buffy clarified.

"But your legend lives on," Castiel said. "It is why this house is protected by a mystic ward. Should your enemies find you, you are not vulnerable to attack. And it is why Dean withheld your identity and forbid me to come here – for fear of your safety. He did not want me to be aware of you and his child. It makes sense to me now."

Buffy sucked in a breath and snapped her eyes wide as her face flooded with awkwardness.

"Um, no, no, Allie's not his child. He's just very protective of her, even since before she was born, you know he….it's a long story for another…"

Buffy stopped when she heard a cell phone ringing loudly. Cass shifted in his seat as he reached into a pocket of his trench coat and pulled out a phone. Buffy widened her eyes in disbelief as Cass punched a button after the third ring.

"Yes," Cass answered. "Yes. I will be right there."

Cass rose to his feet.

"I'm sorry but I must go," he said.

Buffy blinked rapidly when Cass disappeared from her living room.

"An Angel with a cell phone?"

Buffy got to her feet and felt the wealth of information slamming through her mind again. She slowly trekked up the stairs, hearing Allie's giggles echoing from her bedroom as tension coiled around her bones. Her face tightened with anxiety as she shuffled into her bedroom to see Allie and Andrew on her bed, watching Tyrone and Tasha on the television.

Allie threw her head back and laughed as Buffy sat on the edge of the bed. Andrew crawled over and clapped his hands on her shoulders and began massaging them.

"You look so stressed Buffy," Andrew expressed. "Can I run a nice, soothing lavender bath for you?"

Buffy winced as the stress escalated in her muscles from Andrew's sloppy massaging. She gently pushed his hands away and then rubbed the back of her neck.

"No, that's okay," she said. "But, I could use a little run, settle my mind a bit."

"Are you sick mommy?" Allie asked with sad eyes.

"No, sweetie, I just need some fresh air."

Allie patted her arm and drew a sympathetic expression.

"Feel better," she said sweetly.

Buffy smiled lovingly as she kissed Allie's forehead.

"Do you want to stay here with Uncle Andrew?"

Allie nodded as she clutched a pink pillow.

"Uh huh, I'm keeping him company! I'll be a good host!"

"That's my girl," Buffy cheered. "I won't be too long."

"Take the time you need Buffy," Andrew insisted. "I'm here for you. I can even make dinner arrangements if you want. I've got your local restaurants on speed dial."

"Oh, you don't have to go to the trouble. I can whip something up when I get back."

Andrew shook his head as he pulled Buffy to her feet.

"I insist of taking care of dinner tonight," he said firmly. "You go have a nice, therapeutic run."

* * *

A short time later, as her feet pounded against the pavement, Buffy relished the feeling of adrenaline snapping through her veins. As her mind still whirled from shock, her feet pushed her through several neighborhoods. Having lost herself in her drumming heartbeat, Buffy was surprised she had run several miles as she stopped on the curb of the community center to drink some water.

Breathing rapidly but not heavily, Buffy felt an urge for a more vigorous workout, welcoming the effects of adrenaline washing out her deep seated anxiety. She jogged lightly into the community center and then wandered toward the exercise rooms on the south end. Seeing the empty fitness rooms, Buffy ducked inside one and discovered some new boxing equipment, including three training dummies that had masks on their rubber heads.

Buffy peeled off her jacket and stepped in front of the dummy. She closed her eyes, inhaled a deep breath and curled her hands into fists. In an instant, her fists raised and she began, almost automatically, delivering several hard jabs into the masked dummy's torso.

As her mind began to fog with disturbing images of death and destruction, of Dean's sacrifices over the years, of the looming Apocalypse, of the Angels plans, Buffy aggressively punched harder and faster, channeling all of her distress into each blow. After a few minutes, she added roundhouse, back and side kicks and then she just started freestyling, alternating between two dummies. She briefly drew a nostalgic look, remembering the days of her daily training sessions as an active Slayer. Though she didn't miss her life as a Slayer, she did miss the high of her workouts; especially now, as she kept riding the swell of adrenaline assailing her system.

Glancing at her watch, Buffy delved back into her routine, bouncing fervently off the balls of her feet.

After twenty minutes of vigorous combos, beads of sweat rolled down her body as her low grunts echoed through the room.

Completely focused and consumed by her exercise, her gut instinctively tensed when she felt a presence behind her. As she spun on her heel, her fist went flying toward someone's face. Her eyes snapped wide when her fist was deftly caught in a male hand. Her chest bellowed rapidly as she breathed with heavy exertion.

"Rick?"

"Nice punch," Rick replied with a look of awe.

"Nice block," Buffy said.

As Rick gazed at her with wonder, Buffy noticed their hands were still locked together.

"Um, could I have my hand back?"

"That depends if you're going to try and punch me in the face again."

Buffy chuckled awkwardly as her cheeks heated with color.

"I didn't mean to the first time," she said sheepishly.

Still somewhat wary, Rick loosened his grip, allowing Buffy to remove her hand. She could have easily dislodged her hand from Rick's, but she had already drawn enough suspicion from him.

"Sorry about that. I guess I just…got carried away."

"I noticed. And I'm starting to wonder if you have a little more training then you've led on."

Buffy followed his sights as he inspected the three dummies.

"Um, maybe…a tad," she confessed.

Engaging her with another look of awe, Buffy threw her eyes around the room.

"I didn't think anyone would be here at this hour. Are you teaching?"

"No. I'm setting up for the fitness expo this weekend. I was going to use this room for demos since all the equipment is new but now…."

Buffy gulped when Rick turned his eyes on one of the dummy's heads, drooping sickly over its neck.

"Whoops," she muttered. "I can pay for that."

Rick pushed the mangled dummy off to the side and gave her a forgiving look.

"It's okay, better you pummel the dummy then someone's head. You seem a bit….intense. Is Allie alright?"

Buffy drew an appreciative smile and nodded.

"Yeah, she's really good, thanks for asking," she said. "It's not about her though. I'm just…really worried about a friend of mine who's going through a….difficult situation."

"Sorry to hear that. Is there anything I can do?"

"No, not really. I mean, the pummeling dummies helps…..and um, I just wanted to do a couple more drills – I promise I won't ruin any more of the equipment."

"I didn't mean to interrupt. I just saw some of those combos and…well, that's not covered in my beginner's class. Anyway, I'll leave you with those two unfortunate dummies."

Buffy passed him a polite smile as Rick started toward the exit. When he reached the doorway, he stopped under it and turned back around.

"You know, you might want to try meditation. I find it's a lot more effective physically and mentally in relieving stress. That's just my unsolicited piece of advice."

Rick returned her polite smile before he strolled out of the room. When he left, Buffy picked out her cell phone and checked for any new messages. She sighed in disappointment when she hadn't received any word from Sam yet.

* * *

The manager at Mike's Motor Lodge wasn't much for keeping policies or privacy for that matter. With a few large bills, Sam was able to get a look at the registry without much question. Recognizing one of Dean's aliases, Sam got the room number and quickly headed out of the manager's office. When he stepped into the parking lot, he spotted Cass standing under a broken street light. The Angel had his hands in his pockets, his usual intense look stitched over his face as Sam met up with him.

"Thanks for coming right away," Sam said.

"You said it was an emergency," Cass stated. "What is it you need?"

"I need you to help me stop Dean from killing himself," Sam said emphatically.

Dean took a long breath to reform his thoughts as he sat at a desk in his motel room, composing a letter to Bobby. It had taken him almost two hours and several drafts later to get his mess of words together but finally, he was nearly done. Most of his instructions were self explanatory but there were a few things he had to say, things Bobby had to know.

_If you ever meet her, you'll know why I had to do this…._

As the last of his thoughts tumbled out, Dean signed the letter and stuffed it in an envelope. He pushed his chair from the desk and got up, placing the letter a top of a box sitting on the bed.

"Mailing a care package to someone?"

Surprised by the intrusion, Dean whipped around to see Sam in front of the door.

"Sam. You found me? How?"

Sam let out a long breath as he slowly approached his brother.

"I know things have been rough between us, but I still know you. And I know, these days, when it comes down to it, you feel like there's only one place you'd really want to stop off and say your goodbyes before you hit Death Row, right?"

"That's not what this is," Dean denied.

"Really?" Sam challenged, frowning doubtfully. "You're not about to bend over to Michael? What exactly do you think you're doing Dean? After everything – all the crap about changing our destinies, about fighting the Angels and God - now you're just what…..you're ready to surrender?"

"I guess I am," Dean sighed.

Sam shook his head in fury.

"What the hell Dean! How can you just walk out on this?" he demanded.

Dean scoffed sharply as his face tightened with a bitter frown.

"You're a friggin' hypocrite Sam," he vexed. "You've made walking out a damn art form!"

Sam dropped his eyes in genuine remorse for a second as he released a sigh.

"I know," Sam said humbly. "And I've regretted it all those times. It wasn't the right thing to do. I know that. So you should know that this isn't the way to go Dean. So please just don't, okay? I talked to Bobby and he may have something for us."

"May have something?" Dean asked cynically. "Well what is it he may have?"

Sam hesitated, prompting Dean to deepen his cynical look.

"Right, so you've got a big plate full of NOTHING," he snapped. "We've had a plate full of nothing for months and I'm tired of it. This is my only option now."

"Then my only option is to stop you however I can," Sam warned.

"If that's how it's gonna be, fine," Dean said brusquely. "But you know what? You don't have the advantage of demon blood in your system – me, I've got nothing to lose. That's my advantage."

"Maybe but I've got something else," Sam said. "An angel up my sleeve."

Seeing Sam's eyes looking past him, Dean turned around to see Cass just a foot behind him. Cass struck fast, pressing his fingers into Dean's forehead. Dean moaned very softly as his eyes rolled to the back of his head and then he collapsed to the ground, fading out.

* * *

By the time Buffy returned home, the tension in her muscles had completely dissipated. Invigorated by her bout of stress reducing exercise, Buffy pushed through the front door, feeling significantly calmer than when she had left.

"Allie! Andrew! I'm home!"

Dumping her key on the foyer table, Buffy peeled off her running jacket and trotted up the stairs. Hearing giggles from Allie's bedroom, Buffy bounded down the hallway. Peering inside Allie's room, she saw Andrew on his hands and knees beside her pink table, pretending to eat out of a trough. Allie was seated at the table, swinging her feet against her chair as she chomped on a small slice of pizza.

"Hi baby, did you have fun while I was out?" Buffy asked as she kissed Allie's cheek.

"We had pizza for dinner!" Allie cheered. "And Uncle Andrew Horse is eating with me."

Buffy stared at Andrew as he obediently whinnied like a horse.

"Oh, wow, Uncle Andrew Horse, huh?" she snorted.

Buffy glanced at the pizza box sitting on Allie's bed and noticed only one slice was gone.

"Did you let….Uncle Andrew horse eat some pizza?"

Allie shook her head and scowled.

"Don't be silly mommy. Horseys don't eat pizza! They eat carrots!"

"Oh, yeah, you're right, but, Andrew came a long way to see us, so I'm sure he's hungry and would want some pizza."

"I am happy to eat what my little queen gives me," Andrew said with a humbled look.

"No talking," Allie groaned.

Andrew bowed his head and went back to play eating. Buffy pulled Andrew onto his feet.

"How about we spend time with Uncle Andrew downstairs? We can have a pizza party and then eat ice cream on the deck."

Allie shot out of her chair and nodded.

"I looooooooooooooove ice cream!" she squealed.

Allie skipped out of the bedroom and dashed down the stairs as Buffy walked with Andrew.

"Have you heard from anyone? Sam? Dean?"

"No, sorry," Andrew sighed. "Sam's line goes straight to voice mail and Dean's phone is still turned off. I can do that satellite tracking for you if you wish."

Buffy chewed on her lower lip as Allie did a little dance when she reached the foot of the stairs.

"No, I'd feel better if I could talk to them."

"I'll keep dialing Sam until he picks up," Andrew offered.

* * *

"Come on Sam, are you really gonna do this?" Dean moaned.

Sam stood in front of the door to Bobby's panic room and issued a sigh.

"You gave me no choice Dean," Sam said. "Between you and Adam vying to jump ship first – I can't take the chance."

"There's no way I'm gonna just sit back and let him do this," Dean growled.

"You mean letting Adam say yes? Of course, absolutely not," Sam acceded.

Dean huffed in frustration as he leaned against a rusted cabinet.

"I don't think you're hearing me Sam," he said peevishly.

"I hear you loud and clear Dean. Adam's not saying yes and neither are you."

"Adam's just a kid and I'm not gonna let Michael wear him."

When Sam stared him down, Dean clenched his jaw and frowned.

"I'm not messing around here Sam," he spat. "This crap stops now. Have you thought about, I mean, really thought about all the people who have died for us over the years? Our parents, Ellen, Jo, Jessica…..Giles….."

"Giles is in surgery," Sam said quickly. "But he's gonna be okay. And we never asked anyone to die for us."

"But they still did," Dean groused. "And I'm done. I can't take anymore. I can't keep denying what's meant for me."

Sam grunted under his breath and shot a resentful look at his brother.

"How about you wait a second instead of throwing your life away? Okay? Do you think you and me can stand together on this?"

"Honestly? I really don't," Dean confessed.

Sam shaded with a mixture of hurt and surprise.

"What? But…why? Come on Dean, be straight with me."

* * *

A few minutes later, Sam returned to Bobby's study, scowling heavily.

"He okay?"

Sam scoffed loudly and shrugged.

"You okay?"

Sam expired as a string of chimes went off. Bobby frowned as he eyed Sam's cell phone.

"That dang thing has been pissing like crazy since you turned it on," he grunted.

Sam swept up the phone and glanced at the screen, indicating eight missed calls.

"Um, it's Andrew."

Just as he uttered the name, the phone rang. Sam was about to hit ignore until he caught Bobby's wrathful look.

"Will you just answer it? I'm starting to hear ringing in my ears!" Bobby snarled.

Sam obliged, hitting the talk button.

"Andrew."

"Sam! There you are! Is everything okay? You haven't been answering your phone! What's going on? Did you find your brother? I'm calling on Buffy's behalf and she requests an update. So, where are you and how are you?"

In the midst of all the chaos, Sam had forgotten on the promise he made to Buffy.

"Sorry, I've been caught up in the latest….developments," he said. "I…"

Hearing a faint scream downstairs, Sam tensed with alarm.

"Sorry Andrew but I have to go," he said hurriedly.

* * *

"Can I have a little bit more mommy?" Allie asked as she drew her thumb and index finger within an inch of each other. "Please?"

Buffy embraced the laughter sputtering through her as Allie clutched her empty ice cream bowl.

"Okay, you can have 'a little bit' more," she said as she took Allie's bowl.

Buffy returned to the kitchen to see Andrew's pouty face as he set his cell phone on the table.

"What's wrong Andrew?"

"I got a hold of Sam for one blissful second before he had to go," Andrew reported.

"And?"

"I'm sorry Buffy," he moaned. "He didn't have time to talk. I'm afraid I don't have any news for you. Please don't be mad at me!"

Buffy glanced through the screen door and watched Allie as she scribbled on the deck with her set of colored chalks.

"I'm not mad," Buffy said. "I just hate all the waiting. I'm not used it, you know? Before, if I wanted answers, I went and got them no matter who I had to shake down or how far I had to go – but with Allie…."

Andrew sprung from his seat when Buffy's land line rang.

"Miss Summers' palatial residence, may I help you? Xander…..my line's been busy, I've been trying to get a hold of Brave Brother Winchester…what? Oh! Buffy will be immensely relieved!"

Andrew hung up the line without saying goodbye and turned to Buffy.

"Giles is awake!" he announced.

"Thank goodness," Buffy cheered as Allie pushed through the screen door.

"He's groggy and sore from the surgery so he has to stay in the hospital for several more days."

"Who's in the hospital mommy?"

Buffy crouched down to be eye level with Allie.

"Your Uncle Giles had an accident and he had to go to the hospital to get better."

Allie moped as her eyes glistened with sadness.

"Oh no! I love Uncle Giles, is he better now?"

Buffy nodded with a confident smile.

"Yeah, he already is sweetie; he just needs to rest for awhile."

"I'm going to make him a get well card," Allie said sweetly.

"He will love that Allie, he misses you so much."

Allie ran off into the living room, collected her crayons and art paper and then took a seat at her table in the play area. Buffy expelled a breath as she leaned in the doorway to the living room observing Allie fervently drawing a picture. She set down Allie's bowl with a few small tablespoons of ice cream and then cupped the top of her head.

A few minutes later, Andrew settled himself in the kitchen; Buffy picked up her laptop and sat on the couch. Allie hummed softly as Buffy opened one of the files Andrew had downloaded onto her computer. It was a picture file of several paintings in a reduced size – Michael versus Lucifer, the Four Horsemen leaving a path of death and destruction behind them, Angels at war.

"Mommy, how do you spell Uncle?"

Buffy shook off the grim images burgeoning in her mind as she looked up from her computer.

"You know how to spell uncle, we spell it out every day," Buffy said with a smile. "Remember 'U', 'N'…."

Allie licked her lips as she pressed her pencil on the paper and began to form letters.

"Like this?"

Allie held up her paper, showing it to Buffy.

"Yep, that's exactly right," Buffy praised. "I knew you could do it."

"How do you spell Giles?"

Spotting the file from the corner of her eye, Buffy pooled a breath out of her lungs. As much as her gut flared with a fighting impulse, with a fierce desire to help out a dear friend, her heart trembled with maternal instinct at that moment. If something was coming, she would be prepared and she would protect Allie with her life.

But for now, as she stared at the little girl filled with curiosity and innocence, Buffy put aside the gloomy matters pecking at her brain.

Buffy collapsed her laptop and then kneeled beside Allie, smiling encouragingly.

"Giles is with a G."

* * *

Dean boiled with anger and horror as he stared at Sam and Adam lying on the floor, both coughing up rivers of blood and losing consciousness.

"This is your only option, you know that right Deany boy?" Zachariah said with a smug smile.

"Just stop this," Dean pleaded. "Just stop what you're doing to them!"

"If I do that for you, what do I get in return?" Zachariah said with a knowing grin.

As Sam uttered a groan of agony, Dean stared at his younger brother for a second.

"Alright," Dean said tightly.

Zachariah touched the back of his right ear lobe and leaned forward.

"Alright what?"

Dean noticed Sam struggling to hold onto consciousness, begging him with his eyes not to give in.

"You can have me okay? I'm saying yes to Michael. So hurry up and get your boss down here you ball-less sonofabitch," he snarled.

"Are you lying to me?" Zachariah asked dubiously.

"Take a good look at my face and tell me if I am," Dean challenged, deepening his icy look.

Zachariah spun on his heel and began chanting in Enochian as Dean threw a look at Sam. When Zach turned back to Dean, he grinned with gratification.

"Excellent, Michael is on his way."

"You do know I have a few demands that have to be met before Michael zips me up."

"Such as?"

"I want to guarantee the survival of a couple of people."

Zachariah snorted and waved dismissively.

"Fine, whatever. Send me a text."

"Most importantly, I'm not giving my blessing until Michael does something first."

"And what might that be?"

"He has to waste you," Dean said through clenched teeth.

* * *

A little later, Dean and Sam were still reeling with the events that had unfolded in the Green Room. The two stared out the windshield as the car flew down a faintly lit highway.

"What do you think happened to Adam?" Sam asked apprehensively.

"It can't be good," Dean replied glumly. "And I doubt Cass got a ticket to Paradise. We'll find them though."

After deep sighs in unison, Dean focused on maneuvering along the winding highway while Sam simply shot his brother a look of disbelief. Feeling his gaze, Dean met Sam's eyes and frowned curiously.

"What's that look about?"

Sam let out a short breath as he tapped his fingers on his knees.

"It's just…I could tell what was really in your eyes Dean. You wanted Michael to suit up. You almost let him do it. What stopped you?"

After a long, pensive moment, Dean finally answered with a sincere expression.

"The honest to God truth? It's one of those 'I'll be damned' moments. Here we are, the end of the world is looming and we're getting our asses kicked and then – I see you and I'm thinking – 'this little punk WANTED me to come' – I kept hearing that in my head and that was it, you know? I couldn't disappoint you."

"Well, you came pretty close to it," Sam said lightly. "But in the end – you're far from it."

"Yeah well, I should apologize now," Dean said humbly.

Sam shook his head. "There's no need Dean. Really."

"Okay but…I will say one thing. Maybe it's just a big brother thing, who knows but I still see you as that obnoxious little kid that I was responsible for. But you and I both know you stopped being that a long time ago. And I've got to accept that. You're a grown man and you make your own choices. You kept believing in me even when I stopped believing in myself. So for that, I should pay you back. I'm all for kicking destiny in the ass and not looking back, how about you?"

Sam flooded with relief and nodded at his brother's newfound confidence.

"Yeah, count me in."

Sam heaved with more relief when his cell phone rang. Shifting in his seat, Sam took his phone out of his pocket and glanced at the screen.

"Bobby?" Dean assumed.

Sam shook his head as he hit the talk button.

"Hey Andrew….uh, yeah I'll…..hello?"

Sam frowned when he heard Andrew panting on the other line.

"Uh Andrew?"

* * *

"I finished mommy! Look!"

Buffy pushed her dinner plate aside and brushed the crumbs off her hands as Allie climbed onto the couch and showed off her drawing.

"That's me and Uncle Giles and we're having a tea party!" Allie said gleefully. "Uncle Giles likes tea!"

Endeared by the immense joy on Allie's face, Buffy grinned with pride.

"What do you think?"

"It's perfect Allie," Buffy said adoringly. "You have captured your Uncle Giles so well."

Allie smiled from ear to ear as she signed her name at the bottom of the paper.

"Love Allie!" she said gaily.

Andrew rushed into the living room, waving his cell phone at Buffy.

"Oh gloriousness! He's available now! Buffy! Oh Buffy! I've got Sam on the phone!"

Andrew eagerly handed the phone over to Buffy.

"Thanks Andrew."

Buffy glanced at Allie as she took out a fresh sheet of paper to draw on. Andrew sat down with Allie as Buffy shuffled into the kitchen.

"Sam, it's Buffy."

"Uh, hey. Sorry I didn't call you earlier I got caught up in…stuff," Sam said.

"Angel stuff?" Buffy asked directly.

"Um, among other things," Sam mumbled.

"But Dean is okay?" Buffy pressed anxiously. "Michael isn't occupying him?"

Amazed by the former Slayer's conclusion Sam threw a sidelong glance at his brother.

"No, he's fine. He's here with me."

Buffy exhaled a long sigh.

"Good. So where are you guys headed next?"

_Twenty-seven minutes later:_

"No, you're very clear," Sam uttered. "Okay….yeah, we'll see you then."

Sam hung up and immediately felt his brother's stare.

"Well, you were awfully chatty with your BFF," Dean said, forming the foundations of a smirk.

Sam rolled his eyes as he tucked his phone away.

"That wasn't Andrew, it was Buffy," he stated.

Sam watched the restraint pulling over Dean's face at mention of the name.

"Really, I wasn't aware you two talked."

"We haven't. She called me after you took off. She's been worried about you ever since. Whatever you said to Buffy left an impression because she wants to talk to you."

"I've said all I needed to," Dean said quietly.

Sam sputtered out a sigh. "I'm sure you'll have something to say once we get there."

Seeing his brother's eyes pulling from the road to him, Sam bit back a gratified smile.

"Get where?"

"Buffy's house. She expects us to come by the day after tomorrow," Sam said.

Dean looked back to the road, drawing one hand off the steering wheel to dig at a knot forming in the back of his neck.

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"Did you hear what I said? Buffy EXPECTS us to be there," Sam reiterated. "That means, we don't have a choice and she's not going to take no for an answer."

"Well, we'll come up with a reason why we can't show up," Dean said adamantly. "You know, in our line of work, things – evil things come up often, so, she'll understand."

Sam huffed as he recognized Dean's deep seated reluctance that always darkened his face whenever the subject of Buffy came up.

"Dean, will you please quit this whole "I don't care" act when we're talking about Buffy? I may not know her very well, but in the two phone conversations I've had with her, I can tell she cares about you as much as you care about her and there's nothing wrong with that."

As Dean fell into a brief trance, Sam rapped lightly on the dashboard.

"Plus, Buffy made it clear in a borderline threatening way - that if we don't go to her, she'll come to us," Sam added. "So unless you want her showing up at our motel door, you better hook up with the I-80."

"Sam," Dean started.

"And your car is still in Cohasset, remember?" Sam said pointedly.

Dean tilted his head back, acknowledging the dark blue '78 Camaro he had hotwired in Van Nuys. With extreme exhaustion swelling up in his muscles, his mind barely processed the reality that he wasn't presently driving his baby.

"Right," he surrendered, veering the car toward a highway interchange.

* * *

"Everything okay Buffy my dear?" Andrew asked with a hopeful look.

Buffy nodded as she plopped down on the floor beside Allie, looking over a wealth of drawings. Each picture was signed 'Love, Allie'. Buffy picked one up and smiled.

"You love spelling your name now, huh Allie?"

Allie nodded as she pointed to each letter.

"A-l-l-i-e! I love my name," she cheered. "I want to learn to spell my middle name mommy."

"Oh, I guess that makes sense, you're already an expert at spelling mommy, uncle, auntie and family."

"Uh huh, so how do I spell it?" Allie asked eagerly.

Buffy glanced at the clock as Allie waited patiently.

"We'll go over it for ten minutes and then it's bath time," she said.

Allie scowled deeply as Andrew let out a yawn.

"Why do I need another bath? I had one yesterday," she moaned.

"Yes, you did but you were playing outside all day today, putting your hands and feet in things, so you need one."

Allie sighed in protest as Buffy picked out one of her pencils.

"Don't be that way sweetie, you know every time you get in the bath you end up not wanting to get out."

Allie sighed again, propping her elbows on her little table so she could rest her chin in her hands.

"Can I have a little more ice cream after bath time?"

"You already had 'a little more'," Buffy said sternly. "BUT, tomorrow after you take a bath, you can have a little ice cream."

"I have to take another bath tomorrow?"

"Yeah Allie, you should take one every day," Buffy said.

Allie huffed loudly as she scribbled on her paper.

"Plus, we're going to have some special guests for dinner this weekend," Buffy said.

"Special guests?"

Buffy nodded as she spelled out Allie's name on a sheet of paper.

"Yeah, but I'm not telling you who – it's a surprise."

Allie bounced excitedly in her seat.

"Is it the Backyardigans?"

Buffy snorted in amusement. "No, sorry, it's not them. But, I can promise you, you'll be very happy."

* * *

Later the next day:

As Buffy pulled into her driveway, she heard the roar of a motorcycle engine sputtering down her street. Knowing her block was filled with mainly drivers of SUVs or sedans, she glanced curiously at the rider as the motorcycle slowed to a stop in front of her house. When the rider pulled off their helmet, Buffy widened her eyes in surprise.

"Faith?"

Faith shut down the engine and pushed out the side stand.

"Hey Buffy."

"Hey. So who'd you snake this off of?"

"Scourge demon I ran into a couple towns back," Faith explained. "He smashed my ride up so I took his. Ain't it sweet?"

Buffy looked over the red and black Kawasaki, taking notice of a burning skull design emblazoned over the gas tank.

"Uh, it seems to…suit you."

Faith grinned as she eased off the bike and joined Buffy on the curb.

"You just passing through or did you come by to beg me for forgiveness too?" Buffy said with an amused smile.

Faith scoffed, waving her gloved hand through the air as she followed Buffy to the rear of the car.

"Do I look like Andrew? Besides I stand by my decision to keep it all from you B. I mean, I don't want you taking a minute away from Allie to deal with demon stuff. Your life with her is precious you know?"

"I know," Buffy acknowledged. "It's just that I'm…."

Buffy sighed as she leaned into the open trunk and yanked out as many grocery bags as she could carry.

"You're still pissed at all of us for keeping it from you?"

Faith took out the rest of the bags and then walked with Buffy to the front door.

"Maybe a little," Buffy confessed softly. "I get why you guys did, I do. But this involves Dean – and what he's been through, what he's sacrificed, I can't help but want to do…SOMETHING to help after everything he's done for me."

Flustered by the anxiety stewing in her veins again, Buffy forced out a deep breath as she pushed through the door.

"Well that's exactly why all of us made a pact not to say anything to you," Faith said. "We knew you'd get curious – maybe even seek out your old demon allies for info. So we couldn't let that happen. The ward on your house may keep demons away, but keeping _you_ away from them…."

Buffy absorbed Faith's point, but was still determined to voice her own. She dropped bags on the kitchen counter and then folded her arms as a frown shaded over her face.

"I'm not saying I'm going to dust off my stake and fight Lucifer – but I still need to know what we're facing because, worse case scenario – if it's Doomsday, I'm going to be prepared and I will do EVERYTHING in my power to protect Allie."

"I know. We ALL know Buffy," Faith said in a sharper tone. "And we'll be damned if we let you do anything that takes you away from her. So whether you like it or not, you can't go sniffing around Lucifer's playground."

Buffy bit down on her lower lip as Faith steered her eyes toward the stairs.

"Where's the kid?"

Letting go of the dark subject matter, Buffy pulled out a few groceries and sighed.

"Oh, she's at her friend Juliet's house, I was about to pick her up after my market run but Juliet's mom called me to say the girls were having too much fun and wanted to have dinner together. I didn't want to be selfish and end their fun. So, for the first time since Allie was born, I've found myself having dinner alone."

Buffy widened her eyes in amazement before her lips pursued into a pout.

"Wow, sounds like she's finding her independence. Al's growing up fast huh?" Faith said.

Buffy put her face in her hands and moped.

"Yeah, sometimes I'm afraid to blink because I'll miss something in her life."

"Even more reason to focus on being a mom."

Buffy surrendered to Faith's advice for the time being, opening up the fridge to put some items away. Faith started taking out several containers and boxes from the bags, laying them all on the counter.

"Geez, you'd think you had six kids with all these groceries."

"Oh, some of it is just pantry stock the rest is for…"

Faith crooked an eyebrow in curiosity as she plucked out a six pack of beer.

"Male company?"

Buffy gulped when she felt heat rising in her cheeks at Faith's goofy grin.

"It's not what you think. I asked Sam and Dean to come by for dinner tomorrow," she sputtered. "But it's just to have a discussion…."

Faith set a carton of ice cream next to the beer and grinned wider.

"Well - ice cream, beer and hot guys," she said. "That's some discussion right there."

Faith chortled as Buffy looked away, feeling more color in her cheeks.

"I have questions," Buffy stated when she met Faith's eyes again.

"I bet you do," Faith said as she hopped on a stool and tore open a bag of pretzels. "And I'll bet they're more geared toward big bro, right?"

Faith pumped her eyebrows in a blatant plea. Buffy fidgeted in her stance as Faith gave her a nudge in the arm.

"Come on Buffy, throw me a bone – ever since you told me he kissed you, I've been going crazy with wonder. And who else can you really talk to about this? It's not like you can pick it apart with one of your neighbor pals. So gimme the deets. Did he 'profess his undying love for you' or something?"

Buffy forced herself to laugh as she shook her head.

"Uh, no, not….exactly…" she muttered.

"But he professed something? Or did he just show up here and smack one on you?"

Buffy chewed on her lower lip as she glanced at the clock.

"You know, um, if you have somewhere to be, don't let me keep you."

"I'm good. Andrew's handling the Watcher's Council stuff while Giles is recovering, Xander and Willow are on Devil tracking duties and I don't have to meet with this Potential until tomorrow afternoon. Until then…."

Faith prompted Buffy with another silly eyebrow pump. Buffy sputtered with a relenting breath.

"He may have said something about wanting to….be with me and Allie if….if um he didn't have to hunt…"

As Faith stared back at her, Buffy caved with another sigh before unloading more details.

After several minutes, Buffy watched Faith as she looked amazed.

"Woah. So you make him feel 'whole' again, damn B," she gasped. "No wonder you were blown away."

"Well, it's Allie mostly that makes him feel….that way," Buffy said modestly.

"Maybe but he liked you before he even met Allie," Faith said pointedly. And I knew I liked him as soon as you told us about him. All the times he's shown up here, he wasn't just spending time with Al – he was picturing himself in your life."

"You don't really know that. I mean, you can't assume…." Buffy stuttered. "Dean was in a bad place when he was here the other day."

"True but he could have kept on driving," Faith said. "He could have pulled over at a church and surrendered to Michael. But instead, he stopped off here to say goodbye, of all the people in the world, he needed to see YOU. Just like he could have gotten totally shitfaced the night before his contract was up - he drove hundreds of miles to see YOU. Add that to his true confession about wanting a life with you – I gotta give him props, he really lays out all his cards when he's looking at death's door."

Buffy flashed a bittersweet expression before sadness flared in her eyes.

"But put that part aside, now that you know how he really feels, what are you feeling? Can you see yourself with Dean – having him around twenty four seven, helping you out with Allie, being part of your everyday life?"

"I…I don't…..I haven't really thought about it."

Faith cocked an eyebrow in doubt.

"Seriously? You haven't thought about how many guys in this town could handle knowing the life you used to live – the evil things you've faced in your time, the super powered things you can do? You said to me awhile back that you're tired of having to hide your true self, well, with a guy like Dean, you don't have that problem. When he found out about you, he didn't run away screaming – he kept coming around. That has to tell you a lot – and then – that kiss….."

Buffy drew her eyes to the window as her cheeks warmed with color again.

"I um…I'm still trying to process it…all of it," she admitted. "I mean, there's a lot that hasn't been said, a lot that I don't know and I…"

Buffy bellowed with a heavy sigh.

"It's just overwhelming," she said candidly. "All of it."

"We never wanted to hurt you," Faith lamented.

Buffy shook her head in dismiss.

"It's not that. What hurts the most was seeing this guy, who only a few years ago, stopped at nothing to protect me and Allie – who never gave up. To see him now – to hear him accepting defeat…after everything he's been through….it breaks my heart."

Buffy sniffed softly as a few tears rolled down her cheeks. Buffy wiped her damp cheeks as Faith drew a smile.

"Well, there's my answer about how you feel."

Faith crumbled up the empty bag of pretzels and tossed it in the trash as Buffy reeled in her composure again.

"So, what's for dinner?"

"Oh, I was just gonna throw some leftover pizza in the microwave."

Faith hopped off her chair and shook her head.

"Al's with her gal pal so let's go have a grown up dinner. We can hit AJ's for some burgers, maybe play some darts."

"I have to pick Allie up in a few hours."

While her brows hung with hesitation, the idea of an AJ's burger, voted best in Cohasset, made her stomach growl. She hadn't had one since the first week she had moved into town, when she had lived off the daily specials while looking for a job.

"But an AJ's burger sounds really good right now."

"Cool, let's go then."

Faith snatched her arm and led her toward the front door.

"You want to ride with me?" Faith asked, nodding toward her bike.

Buffy winced at the thought of riding on the back of a motorcycle, knowing Faith's driving behavior.

"Uh, why don't we um…walk, you know, it's not that far and I've found the fresh air has been good for unwinding my nerves lately."

Faith shrugged nonchalantly as she pivoted toward the east end of the block. When the cranks started churning furiously in her brain, Faith crooked her eyebrows at Buffy.

"You're gonna interrogate me now, huh?"

Buffy's casual expression shifted into a dead serious look.

"Well, as long as you're here," she stated.

Faith snorted in amusement.

"Right. Okay, so what do you want to know?"

Buffy swept her eyes across the street as her mind fired up an assortment of questions.

"The Four Horsemen…."

* * *

"Leave it to that whiny winged dick to kill a good time," Faith groaned.

Buffy blew out an anxious breath, drumming her fingers against her legs as Faith climbed onto her motorcycle. They had only eaten half of their burgers when Faith had received an important call from a new Watcher.

"How many Slayers have Lucifer's minions taken out?"

"This is the first casualty," Faith revealed. "A few months ago, after he raised Death, his loyal demon douche bags started popping up everywhere, hunting down some of the girls, trying to keep us busy. We had every Watcher on alert."

Buffy drew a hand to the back of her neck as her face tightened with dread.

"Just when I feel like I know everything to settle my mind, something else comes to light," she said.

"It's not your responsibility to know every detail anymore," Faith said. "All you really need to know is that we're on it, twenty-four seven and we're not stopping until we send Lucifer back to Hell."

"Good."

"Tell Allie I said hi," Faith said.

Still digging at the painful knots in the back of her neck, Buffy gave a nod.

"I will. Ride safe. And call me when you get back."

Faith grinned as she picked up her helmet.

"I'm sure if I don't you'll be doing a round robin of phone calls," she snorted.

"Well that's all the more reason to call me back," Buffy replied lightly.

"Guess so. Kay, I gotta motor. Talk to you soon and oh yeah, don't feel awkward tomorrow."

"About what?"

"Oh, you know, seeing Dean after that big 'ol kiss he gave you, it'll probably be an awkward moment but don't let it get to you."

"It wasn't that big of a….."

Faith chortled when Buffy's cheeks flooded beet red.

"Bye B."

As the quiet night air cracked with the sound of the motorcycle's roaring engine, Buffy watched Faith sail down the street and disappear around the corner. When the roar of the motorcycle faded, Buffy looked up at the sky, staring for a long moment. Despite knowing the truth now, her heart felt heavy with all the tragic events that had happened over the years. As thoughts of Dean's periodic presence in her life popped into her mind, her maternal instinct focused in on Allie. Even when he was carrying the burden of an Apocalypse on his shoulders, Dean had still been thinking about her little girl.

Buffy may not have been an active Slayer anymore and while she wasn't about to face Lucifer head on, she couldn't just stand on the sidelines and watch all friends march off to war. She had years of experience and plenty of insight to give. And she would give her input whether anyone wanted to hear it or not.

As a faint chime rang out, Buffy fished out her cell phone and glanced at the alarm alert she had set. Feeling her toes snap with steadfast determination, Buffy pivoted around and trotted toward the door.


	15. Chapter 15 Hard Habit to Break

**A big thank you to all those who have waited so patiently for an update. I have been off in mommyland for the past nine months so life has been crazy. Now that my little guy is on a good schedule I have been writing during his naps so hopefully there shouldn't be too long of a lapse between updates as I wrap this fic up!**

**Ch. 15 Hard Habit to Break**

This chapter involves the episode "The Devil You Know". All characters and entities are owned by the WB. For entertainment only.

* * *

_Early the next morning:_

"Allie, come on sweetie, you've got to get up now or we're going to miss the breakfast."

Allie slowly drifted awake and yawned as Buffy rushed around the bedroom packing things into a bag.

"But I'm still tired mommy, I don't wanna get up," Allie moaned.

"I know honey bun, you've had an exciting week of activities and play dates but remember we're having surprise guests for dinner tonight."

Allie widened her eyes, suddenly joyful and alert.

"Oh yeah! My surprise! My surprise! Is it here now?"

"No, not until dinner time, right now we've got to get dressed. There's lots of stuff to do before then."

Allie eagerly got of bed as Buffy picked through the closet.

"Okay, what are we wearing today?"

As they strolled into the courtyard of the Learning Train, Buffy and Allie garnered smiles and looks from the staff and parents at their matching brown skirts and fluffy pink tops. Their ponytails were fastened by pink pom pom bands and they each had a small frilly bag.

Buffy met up with Janie and Carly in the middle of the crowded balloon adorned courtyard. A large trampoline was set up in one area along with various activity stations for parent-child participation.

"Aw Buffy, you two always look so adorable," Janie said.

"I can't take credit, Allie picked out every detail, even the handbags," Buffy replied proudly.

"Really? Sounds like you've got a budding fashionista on your hands."

"Yeah, she's my little Vera Wang."

After the two shared a laugh, Buffy looked around the bustling activity in the courtyard.

"It's quite a turnout this morning," Buffy said in awe.

"The end of session breakfasts usually are," Janie said. "It's the last chance for everyone to see each other if they're not taking summer classes."

"Mommy, I need to use the toilet," Carly moaned as she tugged on Janie's sleeve.

"Okay, we'll see you later," Janie to said Buffy.

"I'm so hungry mommy, are we eating now?" Allie asked.

"Yeah, there's a lot of your favorites here," Buffy said as she steered Allie toward several tables filled with breakfast items.

After filling up their plates, Buffy and Allie wandered around searching for two empty seats.

"Mommy, I want to eat now," Allie groaned.

"It looks like there's a few seats back there. Stay close to me."

Buffy led the way over to the far end of the courtyard and found two seats left at a table occupied by some familiar faces. Olive was sitting in her father Danny's lap as he cut her waffle into pieces while Rick and Tyler watched the kids on the trampoline.

"Hey Danny, do you mind if we take these seats?"

"No, come and join the fun."

Buffy set Allie's plate down and then took a seat. Allie and Olive engaged in their own conversation, as Buffy noticed an absence next to Danny.

"Where's Zoe?"

"Oh, she complained about…something being swollen so she decided to stay home."

"A swollen something?"

"Uh yeah, honestly, I don't remember, every week something new is swollen."

"Ah, the joys of pregnancy," Buffy said with an amused smile.

"Yeah, I really shouldn't say anything right now except 'yes dear'."

Buffy nearly choked on her bite as laughter rippled from her mouth.

"Daddy, I want more juice," Olive said.

"I've got more in the car babycakes."

Buffy glanced at Danny and Olive as they left the table, leaving her alone with Rick and Tyler.

"You guys having fun?" she asked.

"We are, it's a nice gathering," Rick said with a friendly smile. "People are very friendly."

"Yeah, they really are, the staff, the parents. I love working here."

"Well, Ty has really excelled in his classes. He's says learning is fun, isn't that right buddy?"

Tyler finished chewing and nodded.

"I love to learn!" Allie squealed. "I want to learn to swim and to sing and to dance! What do you love to learn Tyler?"

"Um, surfing," Tyler answered softly.

Allie's face burst with amazement.

"You can surf?"

"My daddy taught me to surf. I love the ocean."

"That sounds like so much fun!" Allie cried gleefully as she looked up at Buffy. "Mommy, I want to learn to surf! Please mommy, can I? Can I?"

"Surfing? Oh my goodness. Well, we need to get you through all the swim courses first and then we'll see."

"I want to see the ocean," Allie moped.

"I could see it everyday from my house when I lived in my other home," Tyler said.

Allie crinkled her nose in confusion.

"Your other home? Where's that?"

"Australia," Tyler said in a small voice. "But we had to leave that home when mommy went away."

As an awkward silence nipped in the air, Buffy cleared her throat and addressed Allie.

"You've got syrup all over your fingers."

Buffy reached into her bag and pulled out a packet of wet wipes.

"Here baby, wipe your hands okay?"

"Oh, here you are….with Rick."

Buffy turned her eyes over her shoulder to see Janie grinning at her.

"Yeah um, this was the only open table."

Janie widened her grin and nodded.

"Oh, right, it's really crowded," she said. "Anyway, I was going to take the girls over to the trampoline for a turn if that's okay."

Janie threw Buffy a look before glancing at Rick and Tyler.

"I can take Tyler too, if you want. What do you think Tyler? Would you like to jump on that giant trampoline we've got set up over there?"

Tyler glanced apprehensively at his dad. Rick smiled and patted Tyler assuredly on the shoulder.

"It's alright buddy, I'm right here if you need me."

Janie smiled at Tyler as he joined the girls, leaving Buffy and Rick alone to stew in that awkward silence.

"I'm sorry about that," Rick said humbly. "I keep telling myself that he'll heal in time but he'll always remember his mum walking out that door."

Buffy held up a hand and shook her head.

"It's really none of my business," she said understandingly.

"Well, it's the reason why he's had difficulty dealing with women outside his family," he confessed.

"You don't have to explain," Buffy said with an empathetic look.

Rapping her fingers nervously on the table, Buffy eyed her Styrofoam cup of coffee.

"I'm going to refill my coffee," she said.

"Please, let me," Rick said insistently. "I want to check on Ty anyway."

Rick took her cup as Buffy graced him with an appreciative smile.

An hour later, Buffy and Allie walked with Janie and Carly to the recreation room as the picnic wound down. As Allie and Carly sat at a bright yellow kids table to sift through their goody bags, Buffy felt the weight of a heavy grin on her.

"So, how was your alone time with Rick?" Janie asked with a silly eyebrow pump.

"Uh, it was fine," Buffy said as her cheeks gently blushed.

"Well, I noticed you two were talking for quite awhile. That's a good thing right?"

"I guess so, I mean, he's a nice guy, you know, you don't get that feeling that he's just talking to you to get something out of it."

"Does that mean he didn't ask you out?"

Buffy glanced over at Allie, wondering if her acute hearing had picked up on the question but she was too involved in the assortment of goodies in her gift bag.

"That didn't really come up," Buffy said.

"Well, what's he waiting for?" Janie asked in mild annoyance. "It's so obvious he's into you."

Buffy noted the time on the big sunbeam clock in the rec room.

"We need to get going," Buffy replied. "I still have a lot to do before dinner. Thanks for that salad recipe by the way. I wanted something more than just field greens and dressing. It'll go better with the lasagna."

"Oh, no problem. Lasagna and salad is a big meal for just you and Allie."

"It would be but I'm having Dean and his brother over. It's a surprise for Allie."

"Good God, Dean has a brother?!" Janie gasped. "Do those looks run in the family because if they do, I may have to accidentally stop in to borrow some sugar."

Buffy snorted with laughter at Janie's silly expression.

"I'm kidding. Sounds like a fun night for both you and Allie."

"She's going to be thrilled," Buffy cheered.

* * *

_Later that afternoon:_

Sam stared at his brother's white knuckles as they clenched the steering wheel. Ever since they reached the outskirts of Cohasset, Dean hadn't said a word, keeping the radio low as his eyes shifted rapidly across the street.

"Maybe we'll leave early," he finally said. "You know, we'll keep our end by showing up but there was nothing that said we had to STAY."

Sam cocked his head as Dean scanned the boulevard.

"I think it was pretty much implied," Sam said.

Dean passed Sam a clueless look and shook his head.

"No, I don't think it really was. In fact, the invitation seemed a bit vague."

Sam scoffed and then snorted when he saw the evasive look on Dean's face.

"No, it wasn't," Sam said. "Buffy made it clear, at least to me that she had business to discuss over dinner."

"Well, maybe you can fake a stomach ache or a leg cramp," Dean suggested.

Sam rolled his eyes and issued a sigh.

"Or you can just stop making excuses," Sam groaned. "I mean, there's no point in denying your relationship with Buffy now. Besides, if you don't go the easy way, you know what that means."

Dean snapped his eyes to Sam and absorbed his threatening look.

"First of all, there's no 'relationship' okay? Secondly, what are you really gonna do? Kick my ass? Or have Cass drag me there in an unconscious state? Cause those methods have all been done. Be original."

"Okay fine," Sam relented. "Just call Buffy up and tell her we can't make it. She told me how much she wanted to see you in person after everything that's happened and how this dinner was going to be a surprise for Allie. But you know, like you said earlier, with our lives the way they are, she'll understand why we had to bail on her and I'm sure if Allie asks her about her surprise, Buffy will come up with something."

Sam clapped his hands on his knees and held back the grin tugging on his face as Dean frowned resentfully at him.

"Seriously, you're gonna throw the guilt card at me?"

"Is it working?" Sam asked, now letting his smug grin bleed through.

After a long glare, Dean shook his head and scowled as the disappointed faces of the Summers girl flashed through his mind.

"Dammit," he groaned, ignoring Sam's wide grin.

"Oh hey, just let me out here."

Dean eased to a stop at a brick lined intersection in the heart of the retail district. As Sam swung his door open, he met his brother's curious eyes.

"Where are you going?"

"I just…want to check something out," Sam said cryptically.

As pedestrian traffic cleared from the intersection, an impatient driver behind Dean pumped their horn.

"Go Dean. I'll meet you back at the motel," Sam persisted as he trekked to the curb.

Almost two hours later, after Dean had dumped the car, walked back to the motel, showered and changed, Sam finally strolled through the door. Standing in front of the dresser mirror, Dean flashed an annoyed look at Sam.

"Where the hell have you been?"

"I uh, stopped by the….mall," Sam said, clutching a plastic bag under his arm.

"Are you serious? You went shopping?"

"I just wanted to stop in and get something for Allie, I guess," Sam said casually. "Andrew said she's into fairies."

Dean narrowed his eyes on the logo on the bag, Enchanted Forests, a high end toy store in the downtown district.

"So you thought you'd drop a couple of Benjamins to get her to like you?"

"I'm guessing that's how you got to be the 'Jedi Master' of uncles," Sam said with a complacent smile.

Dean scoffed before he went back to studying his shirt in the mirror.

"Still, you could have just bought her a lollipop or something."

"I could have but Andrew said Buffy doesn't like Allie getting candy from new people, you know the whole don't take candy from strangers," Sam said pointedly.

"Oh, right."

Dean looked back in the mirror and frowned disapprovingly as Sam headed back to the door.

"You ready to go?"

Dean rummaged through his duffle and waved a hand.

"Gimme a sec to change, I'll meet you in the car."

Sam snorted loudly, drawing a look of ire from his brother.

After parking along the curb, Sam swung his door open as Dean rapped his hands on the steering wheel for a long minute. Exhaling a deep sigh, Dean climbed out and ambled up the walkway, catching up to Sam in a few quick strides. Sam pressed the doorbell as Dean anxiously rocked back on his heels. A few minutes passed before soft, hurried footsteps could be heard behind the door. When it opened, Buffy caught her breath and gave a warm smile.

"Hey guys, you're right on time," she said pleasantly. "Come on in."

Buffy widened the door to let the guys in. As the brothers filed through the door, Sam exuded his surprise as he gawked at the brunette haired Buffy.

"Buffy. Wow. You look different. The hair….it looks really good."

"Thanks. I guess it's been a long time since I've seen you, huh?" she said.

As she craned her neck to meet his eyes, she started to feel a small cramp.

"I don't remember you being so tall," she teased.

Buffy took a step toward Sam and gave him a friendly hug.

"It's good to see you Sam," she said as she stepped out of the hug.

"Yeah, you too. It looks like you're doing really well."

"I am," she said before she steered her sights at Dean.

"Hey Buffy," Dean greeted softly.

Buffy fell out of her congenial smile as her feet pushed her toward Dean. Expecting a similar warm gesture from Buffy, Dean prepared himself for her embrace when her right hand suddenly whipped up and smacked him hard across the face. Stunned, Dean froze in his stance as he stared at her in complete shock, his cheek red and stinging.

Almost as suddenly, Buffy's intense frown shattered with remorse at her impulsive action while her eyes gleamed with emotion. When the awkward silence thickened between them, Sam cleared his throat and took a step back.

"I'm gonna go….somewhere."

As Sam lumbered toward the kitchen, Buffy winced when she saw the red hand mark on Dean's cheek.

"I'm sorry," Buffy uttered ruefully. "I don't know why I did that….I just…after finding out about everything, about what you were going to do when you left here….I…..you just…you really freaked me out!"

Noticing the tremble in her lips and the moisture welling in her eyes, Dean swallowed back the sting in his cheek and reciprocated her rueful look.

"That's exactly why I didn't tell you anything," he cited. "This life you've got, most hunters never even come close to having it. After all the evil we've seen, why would you let yourself keep thinking about it when you've got the most precious thing in the world to focus on? If I could keep it all from you again, I would."

Seeing the dead sincerity on his face, Buffy scoffed very lightly as she folded her arms across her chest.

"You're just as stubborn as the day we met," she groaned.

"So are you," he retorted.

After a short moment of staring each other down, they broke into laughter.

"Touché," Buffy replied.

As her eyes took a longer look over Dean, Buffy felt all the tension in her muscles trickling out. She moved toward Dean again and noticed he had tilted back, anticipating another slap, but instead, she drew her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

"I'm so glad you didn't give up," she said softly.

Dean relaxed within Buffy's grip, soaking in the immense warmth he always felt around her. Buffy eased out of the embrace and gently hooked a hand on the crook of his arm.

"And I'm glad you came by for dinner."

"You didn't really give me a choice."

"I gave you a choice. A good one and a bad one," she snorted.

With the tense mood lifted, Dean walked with Buffy into the kitchen to regroup with Sam. Seeing him wandering around in the backyard, Dean headed for the sliding doors.

"Allie should be up from her nap now," Buffy said. "There's beer in the fridge so help yourself."

Dean retreated to the fridge as Buffy headed up the stairs. Sam was sitting on a swing bench near a small sandbox on the side of the house. Dean tapped Sam on the shoulder with the second beer bottle. Sam took it as Dean propped a booted foot on a pink stool next to the bench and then stared off out into the quiet suburban street, lost in his own reflection.

In the rolling, quaint silence, Sam and Dean drank their beers, enjoying a brief respite in their crazy life.

A minute later, the sliding door squeaked open and a cheery little voice echoed from the house.

"Can I open my eyes now mommy?" Allie pleaded. "Can I? I want to know what my surprise is!"

"Not yet sweetie," Buffy said.

Sam and Dean turned to see Buffy carrying Allie in her arms. When she reached the guys, Buffy set Allie on her feet in front of Dean.

"Okay, you can open them now," Buffy said.

Allie's eyelids fluttered open and she looked up to see Dean.

"Uncle Dean!" she squealed. "This is my surprise?"

Buffy nodded and grinned when Allie looked at her. Allie turned back to Dean as he kneeled down to be eye level with her.

"Hey Allie Cat."

Allie grinned in delight as she threw her arms around him.

"I missed you SOOOOO much," she said. "Do you have time to play?"

Buffy propped a hand on Dean's shoulder and smiled at Allie.

"Uncle Dean came out here to spend time with you Allie," Buffy said insistently.

Allie excitedly clapped her hands.

"Yay!"

Sam couldn't help but smile at Allie's endearing enthusiasm as Buffy turned her attention to him.

"Allie, say hi to our other dinner guest."

Allie stared up at Sam and ran over to him.

"Hi! I'm Allie!"

Sam smiled again as Allie waved fervently.

"Hi Allie, I'm Sam. I've heard so much about you."

Allie crinkled her nose and shook her head.

"I don't know you," she said bluntly.

Sam chuckled as Allie ran back to Dean and clutched his leg.

"That's my brother," he explained.

Allie widened her eyes and cupped her cheeks.

"I didn't know you had a brother! That's neat!"

Enraptured by Allie's adorable expression, Dean let out a soft chuckle.

"Yeah, I guess it is."

"Well, I've still got some prep work to do for dinner, so your Uncle Dean is going to take you upstairs so you can play while Sam helps me in the kitchen," Buffy commanded.

Sam and Dean eyed Buffy and then exchanged looks of amusement that the former Slayer wasted no time in delegating duties. Allie eagerly grabbed Dean's hand and tugged him toward the sliding door.

"Let's go Uncle Dean! I want to play lots and lots!"

As Dean strolled into the house and up the stairs with Allie, Sam hung back with Buffy in the kitchen.

"So, what can I do to help?" he asked as he shed his jacket.

Buffy waved a hand in dismiss as she grabbed a beer from the fridge and footed it shut.

"Oh, I've got it covered, dinner wise," she said.

Sam frowned with confusion as Buffy set the beer in front of him.

"Oh, okay."

"There's something else you can help me with though."

"What's that?"

Buffy tugged on the screen door leading to the yard.

"Just a few things I need to know," she said firmly. "Some blanks that need to be filled. Come on outside, it's a nice night, bring your beer. You'll probably need it after I'm done with you."

Catching the fierce twinkle in her eyes, Sam gulped as he picked up his fresh beer and joined Buffy on the deck.

Upstairs, Allie was skipping around her room, pointing out some of her favorite things to Dean. When she reached her little table, she grabbed a chair and picked up a pencil.

"Uncle Dean! Let's play school!"

"School? Seriously? School is fun?"

"Uh huh! I love to learn things! Like numbers and spelling!"

"Oh, I guess that's why you're so smart."

"Sit down here!" Allie said as she patted on the other small chair.

Dean squeezed himself onto the kiddy chair as Allie put a sheet of paper in front of him with a few pencils.

"Ready for the lesson Uncle Dean?"

"Uh, I suppose so."

"Okay, today's lesson is the number eighty-two!" she said enthusiastically. "We write eighty two!"

"That's the lesson? Well that's not so bad. Okay, eight two. Got it."

Dean scribbled the number down on the center of the paper. Allie frowned and shook her head.

"No! You can't write it there!"

"What? Why?"

Allie took out a fresh sheet of paper and set it down. She took her ruler and drew lines across the paper.

"You write it here, and THEN you write it all across these lines."

"Oh, so I'm already failing preschool, awesome."

Allie crinkled her nose in confusion.

"What's 'failing' Uncle Dean?"

"It's something that's not in your DNA," he said.

"What's D-N-A?" Allie asked, carefully repeating the word.

Dean cupped the top of her head and gave a dismissive smile.

"Don't worry about it. So, I write it all along here huh?"

Allie grinned as she watched Dean writing out the number several times across the lined paper.

"How's that?"

Allie reviewed his work and bounced excitedly.

"You did it perfect!" she sang happily. "I knew you could! Okay, I have to finish the lesson too, and then we have nap time and snack time!"

"Oh, now those things I excel at."

* * *

"Can I get you another beer Sam?" Buffy asked. "You went through that one pretty quickly."

Buffy drew a teasing smile as she picked up Sam's empty beer bottle. Sam leaned back in his chair and released a long breath.

"Um, no, I'm fine, I…I just wasn't expecting to be…ambushed like that."

Buffy raised an eyebrow and gave him a knowing look.

"I do recall giving you fair warning in our last phone conversation, didn't I?"

"Yeah, it's just….I didn't think you were going to grill me so – soon."

"Well, I thought I'd just get to the nitty gritty right away and then we could have a pleasant dinner."

Buffy took a long sip of her water after spending the last half hour questioning Sam. She glanced at the clock in the kitchen and then smiled at Sam.

"Let me just check on dinner and then I'll be right back. You sure you don't want another beer?"

"I'm good, thanks."

Buffy nodded as she disappeared briefly. When she returned, she set down a fresh glass of water and took her seat.

"Now, what was the last thing I asked you about?"

Sam rapped his fingers apprehensively on the table.

"Um….demon blood," he muttered.

"Right," Buffy acknowledged. "Tell me more about Ruby."

"We lie down here for nap time!" Allie squealed as she patted a fluffy pink blanket at the foot of her bed.

Allie curled up on the blanket, laying her head against her hand.

"Come lie on this side Uncle Dean!"

Obliging her, Dean dropped down on the blanket next to Allie.

"Oh, I should turn out the light so you can see my stars!"

Allie jumped up and ran over to the light switch, flipping it off. She ran back to the blanket and lied back down. Dean looked up to see dozens of glow in the dark stars plastered to the ceiling.

"Mommy put those up for me on my last birthday because I was born under lots of stars!"

"Yeah, you were."

"Do you like them? Do you like my stars?"

"Yeah, they're perfect for your room and for you."

"Mommy always cries on my birthday," Allie said as she pulled off her shoes.

"She does?"

"Uh huh but she says they are happy tears not sad tears because when I was born she was SO happy to have me!"

Dean steered his eyes to Allie as she gazed up at the ceiling and grinned.

"I remember," he said fondly.

Allie sat up and grabbed her toes as an intense look graced her face.

"Mommy said I'd see you again," she said.

"She did huh?"

"Uh huh. She promised that you'd come back. And you did!" Allie said in delight.

"Yeah, well, your mom, she has a knack for making things happen."

Allie sprung to her feet and ran to a set of cubbyholes in the corner of her room. She took out her pink backpack and unzipped one of the pockets.

"Okay! It's snack time! Let's see, what shall we have?"

Allie licked her lips as she took out several pink plastic bags containing various snack items.

"Oh, I have peanut butter crackers!"

Allie held the bag of crackers out to Dean before her brows tugged with a worrisome look.

"Oh no, wait. Are you allergic to peanuts? I'm not supposed to share if you have a peanut allergy cause you could get really sick!" she cried. "Are you allergic Uncle Dean?"

Dean shook his head, warranting a big grin from Allie as she held the crackers out to him.

"Why don't you save those for after dinner okay?"

Allie nodded fervently as she put the crackers in the pocket.

"I want to draw now!"

Allie ran back to her table and opened a storage bin, taking out some sheets of paper, a set of crayons and colored pencils.

"You draw something too!"

Dean crossed over to the table and folded himself into the chair. He picked up a colored pencil and tapped a blank sheet of paper.

"How do you spell your brother's name?" Allie asked.

"S-A-M."

Allie licked her lips as she repeated the letters to herself while she wrote them down on the paper.

"Okay, I draw you a picture but you can't look at it until later, okay?"

"Okay."

Allie started to draw until she saw Dean watching her in fascination. She snickered and shook her head.

"No looking! It's a surprise picture!"

"Oh, okay," Dean obliged as he turned in his seat, keeping his eyes away.

* * *

Buffy heaved a long, deep breath as she tried to digest the details of Sam's relationship with Ruby leading up to Lucifer's release. She sat back in her chair and crossed her arms as a mixture of frustration and compassion washed over her face. Sam shifted in his seat when the former Slayer held him with an intense stare before she finally broke it. This time, her face was knotted with complete understanding.

"Thanks for being so forthcoming with your answers," she said. "I know this isn't the easiest subject to tread on so I appreciate it."

"No, I um…I've done a lot of things I regret and I hope to make up for it," Sam replied. "And given your relationship with my brother and your own history with hunting, I get why he came to see you so often."

Buffy flushed with awkwardness and looked away to recoil her composure.

"So are you guys at a point yet where you can move on from the past? Can you fight as a team again?"

"Yeah, I think so," Sam affirmed.

"Good because your lives are hard enough without some kind of support system. You know all my years as a Slayer, someone would say to me that I was destined to fight alone. And a lot of times I did, but I was always better with my friends."

Hearing a faint ding in the kitchen, Buffy got up from her chair and pivoted toward the patio doors.

"That's dinner," she announced. "I should get it out of the oven."

Sam got up and followed her into the kitchen.

"Would you go up and tell Allie and Dean that dinner's ready? Her bedroom is at the end of the hall on the left."

Sam nodded as he pivoted toward the stairway. Once upstairs, he ambled down the hall, following the voices wafting from the room at the end. Hanging under the doorway, he opened his mouth to interrupt when the sight before his eyes rendered him speechless.

Allie was sitting in Dean's lap, giggling hysterically.

"I love you so much Uncle Dean!" Allie cooed sweetly as she gave Dean a kiss on the cheek.

Dean smiled deeply at her, gently pushing a long tendril of hair out of her eyes. He kissed her forehead as Allie hugged him tightly for a long moment.

"Back-atcha sweetheart," he said softly as tears glistened in his eyes.

Sam stepped back through the threshold and caught his breath. Dean had always had a way in dealing with kids, but what he had with Allie was beyond a simple bond. He had seen the intense glow of love all over his brother's face as well as the tears of pure joy in his eyes as he gazed at Allie.

In all his life, Sam couldn't remember ever seeing Dean so happy. As the realization swelled through him, he rocked back on his heels and waited in the hall, wanting to give Dean a little more time with Allie.

"Okay, I'm done with the picture," Allie said as she handed a folded sheet of paper to him. "Look at it later, okay?"

"Can't wait."

Sam softly cleared his throat as he poked his head into the bedroom.

"Hey, Buffy wanted me to let you know that dinner's ready."

"Yay! I'm SO hungry from all the playing!" Allie shrieked. "Let's go eat dinner Uncle Dean!"

Allie jumped out of her seat and ran out of her room. Sam smiled as Allie skipped past him. Buffy met Allie at the foot of the stairs as Sam and Dean made their way down. Allie threw her arms around Buffy and hugged her sweetly.

"Did you have fun with Uncle Dean?"

"Uh huh! I LOOOOVEE Uncle Dean SOOOO MUCH mommy!"

"I know you do," Buffy said pleasantly.

Buffy led the boys back through the kitchen and around the other side of the deck. She pointed to a dining set dressed with a bright yellow tablecloth and light green dishes, cups and napkins.

"Since our pleasant weather has held up the past few days, I thought we could eat outside."

As Sam and Dean got seated, Buffy disappeared into the kitchen. Allie climbed into the seat next to Dean as Buffy returned with a baking tray, setting it down in the middle of the table.

"Well, I hope you like lasagna because it was this week's lesson at the community center. I also made a Farmers Market Salad for you Sam, it has all organic vegetables and greens. Andrew recommended I make it for you since he said something about you being a temple…."

Buffy shook her head at the strange reference as Dean discreetly elbowed Sam in the ribs and smirked. Sam brushed off the look and threw Buffy a nod of appreciation.

"You didn't have to go to the trouble but thanks," he said.

Buffy strolled back to the kitchen as Allie looked at the salad on the table and turned her nose at it.

"I don't like weed salad," she pouted.

Sam found himself laughing as Allie scowled deeply.

As Buffy plucked several slices of garlic bread into a basket, Dean went to the fridge, helping himself to another beer. As he popped the top of the beer off, he glanced at a frilly pink calendar tacked to the fridge. He widened his eyes in amazement as he perused all the daily activities marked on the calendar.

"So in between carting Allie to ballet, dance class, swimming lessons, soccer camp, kids' chorus AND preschool, you're still able to take some cooking classes for yourself huh? You really are superwoman," he said admirably. "Or supermom."

Buffy smiled modestly as she set her baking tray aside and tucked the bread beneath a cloth napkin.

"It's ninety minutes, every other week and it's on a night when Allie's over at her best friend's house, so I'm not taking any time away from her," she said.

"Still, you managed to find the time. I barely find the time to sleep. How do you do it?"

Buffy pointed to an allotment of time on the calendar.

"See the scheduled naptime? That's not just for Allie."

Allie bounced anxiously in her seat as Dean walked with Buffy back to the table. Buffy set the basket of bread down and then removed the cover from the lasagna as Dean took his seat.

"Uncle Dean! I helped mommy make the lasagna! I put the noodles in there but mommy put the sauce in because it was hot and then I put extra cheese too!"

"Well, then it's going to be the BEST lasagna I've ever eaten."

Allie grinned as Buffy cut up and served the lasagna.

During the meal, Sam discreetly watched Dean as he listened to Allie talking fervently about school and her friends.

"….and then I met a girl named Machiko on World Culture Day! She's my Asian friend. Do you like Asians Uncle Dean?"

Dean pulled a casual smile over his face.

"Oh sure, yeah, I love Asians and all their….stuff," he said with genuine enthusiasm.

Sam choked violently on his bite at his brother's sly answer. Buffy glanced in concern at Sam as he picked up his drink.

"Are you okay Sam?" Buffy asked softly.

Sam nodded as he forced out a long cough.

"Yeah, just went down the wrong tube."

"….she taught me Japanese! Koh-nee-chee-wah!" Allie roared. "That's how you say hello!"

A half hour later, Allie was still chatting about her experiences in school, with Dean sincerely engaged in her conversation. Buffy got up to collect the dishes when Sam pushed his chair out and took them from her.

"Please, let me," he insisted.

Buffy smiled in gratitude as Sam cleared the table and took the dishes into the kitchen. When Sam started washing dishes, Allie dashed inside the house and then came back out cradling a few books of blank paper.

"Can I stay out here and draw mommy?"

Buffy steered her eyes to the darkening horizon as a balmy wind began to swell through the yard.

"Sure sweetie, but if it starts to rain really bad, you'll have to come inside."

"It hasn't rained toads in a long time!"

As Allie skipped out into the yard, Dean blinked rapidly in disbelief when he thought his hearing betrayed him.

"Uh, did she say it rained toads? Like actual amphibians falling out of the sky?"

"Yep," Buffy confirmed. "Happened right around the time the country was hit with all those weird weather patterns."

"Oh," Dean said very softly.

Dean crumbled onto a sun lounger when the black reality of his life rudely flooded back into his mind. He stared off solemnly as Buffy marked his sudden change in mood.

"Can I get you another beer?"

Fading out of his gray daze, Dean pushed a polite smile over his face.

"No thanks, I'm good," he answered. "We probably have to get going soon anyway."

"Oh, so no dessert? I made chocolate mousse pie, it's Allie's favorite."

Buffy snorted in amusement when she saw Dean's face light up with giddiness.

"Well, I guess we can stay for pie."

Hearing the water still running in the kitchen, Buffy took a seat on the deck chair opposite the lounger as Allie contentedly drew pictures at her pink play table. Turning her eyes back to Dean, Buffy was struck with awkwardness, flashing on the last few minutes of their previous encounter. She gulped as she nervously brushed her hands across her thighs.

"So, how much do you know about, you know?" Dean asked discreetly.

Grateful for the topic of business, Buffy let out a breath.

"Everything," she said. "The past few days I've talked to just about everyone about it. Including your friend Castiel."

Dean raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"You talked to Cass?"

"Yeah, we had a very interesting conversation," Buffy revealed with a tint of amusement in her eyes.

"Conversation or interrogation?"

"I did not interrogate him. I asked him questions, he answered."

"So, interrogation."

Buffy latched her hands over one knee as her face knitted with light defiance.

"You left me with a lot of questions stewing in my brain," she said. "What did you really expect me to do? Just brush it all off and go about my life?"

Buffy narrowed her eyes at Dean as Sam stepped onto the deck. Catching the uncomfortable silence between Buffy and his brother, Sam gulped as he looked around the yard.

"I'm gonna go see Allie," he muttered.

Sam strode quickly over to Allie as Buffy deepened her questioning look. Dean sputtered with a sigh as a humbled look washed over his face.

"Honestly? Yeah, I hoped you would but realistically, I figured you probably wouldn't. Although, I didn't think you would have summoned my angelic friends."

Buffy glanced briefly at Allie as she began singing one of her favorite songs.

"I needed some perspective on the Angels and their agenda," she reasoned. "He was my best resource. I had to collect all the information I could so I could see the big picture and then offer my insight. I mean, I do have some experience in saving the world, you know. I've learned a lot from eight years of slaying. So if anyone can help…."

Dean flipped a hand up to gently cut her off.

"Look Buffy, I appreciate your concern. But as far as doing anything to help, you really…"

"Are you going to tell me that I can't?" Buffy interjected. "Because I'm getting a little tired of everyone telling me that."

Detecting the heavy conviction on her face, Dean tightened his own.

"Well maybe you should listen to them," he said explicitly. "Because this isn't your fight anymore. I don't want you getting into this."

"I'm not saying I'm gonna stand by your side on the front line. But I can't just take what I know and ignore it either," she stressed. "Ever since I found out what's been going on, my mind's been racing with thoughts, scenarios, battle plans. I've even had a few dreams about taking down Lucifer. Some were weird involving….fish weapons but others…well; I keep coming back to one major plan if you want to hear it."

"If I said 'no', you'll tell me anyway, right?"

Buffy shrugged as an innocent look flared in her eyes.

"What could it hurt?"

* * *

"Are you the older or younger brother Sam?" Allie asked as she started drawing a picture.

Sam shifted his position on a tiny pink chair at Allie's table.

"Younger."

"Did Uncle Dean play with you lots?"

"Yeah, as much as he could."

"Is he a good big brother?" Allie inquired with wide green eyes.

Sam glanced over at Dean who seemed a bit unnerved by his conversation with Buffy. Thinking back to his own interrogation by the former Slayer, Sam drew a small smirk.

"Yeah, Dean's been a great big brother. You know, he used to take care of me a lot when our Dad had to work."

Allie set her colored pencil down and moped.

"I don't ever want to work," she moaned.

"You don't?"

"No. Work takes you away from people you love. And I don't want to be away from them ever!"

* * *

"So? What do you think of that plan?"

Buffy waited expectantly as Dean seemed to be processing the details of her plan.

"I think it's ridiculous….a ridiculously awesome plan," Dean said with a massively respectful look. "But I have no idea how the hell we'd pull it off or if it's even possible."

"I'll pass it along to Will, she'll figure out how it can be done."

"I never in all of my crazy scenarios would ever have dreamed up something like that."

"Well, I guess it's a good thing we met, huh?" Buffy remarked with a warm smile.

"Uncle Deeeeeeeeeeannn!" Allie squealed.

"Yeah?"

Allie crawled into his lap and looked up inquisitively at him.

"Do you have to go back to your job?"

"Eventually, yeah."

Expecting a scowl, Buffy was surprised when Allie grinned sweetly and then waved one of her drawings.

"I made you another drawing."

"Another one?"

"Uh huh. So you don't forget about me when you go back to your job."

"Never happen," he declared.

Allie handed the paper to Dean and then climbed into his lap, pointing out things in her drawing.

"See, there are lots of stars in the sky. That's you and mommy with the belly and that's me in her belly on my birthday! And you are holding mommy's hand cause she was so scared!"

Buffy glanced at the picture and gasped in amazement when she saw hot dogs in the drawing.

"Oh my goodness Allie, you put everything in there."

Allie nodded as she pointed to some squiggles in the sky.

"Uh huh! And that's the smell of cow poopy cause mommy said it was so stinky!"

Buffy snorted with laughter as Dean simply gawked at the drawing.

"Do you like it Uncle Dean? Do you like it?" Allie asked anxiously.

"Yeah, it's awesome."

Allie folded the artwork in fourths and grinned.

"Take it with you, okay?"

"You got it."

After finishing dessert and coffee, Dean and Sam fetched their jackets. Buffy walked the guys to the door, feeling immensely better now that she had satiated the most burning questions in her mind.

"Oh, before I forget, I got Allie something," Sam said as he picked up the bag on the foyer table.

Buffy widened her eyes when she glanced at the logo on the shopping bag.

"Enchanted Forest? Oh my goodness, that's Allie's favorite store. Allie, come here sweetie, Sam has a present for you."

Allie, who was playing in the living room, dropped her toy on the floor and rushed over to Buffy with a grin on her face.

"Presents! I looooove presents!"

"I hope you like it," Sam said as he gave Allie the bag.

Allie ripped open the bag and took out a fairy doll in glittery pink and purple packaging.

"It's Femona!" she cried gleefully. "I don't have her! Femona!"

"What do you say Allie?" Buffy prompted gently.

Allie hugged the doll and jumped up and down excitedly.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Sam smiled down at Allie.

"You're welcome."

"I love it sooooooooooo much! It's my favorite present in the whole world!"

Dean scoffed silently as Allie continued to jump around the foyer, clutching her present.

"You know. I got you something too."

Sam glanced at Dean in surprise as his brother padded his pockets.

"It's uh….."

Dean took out his wallet and removed a brand new one hundred dollar bill.

"This," he said as he gave Allie the money.

"Moneeeeeeeeeeeeey! I love moneeeeeeeeeeeeey!"

Allie twirled around and around as Buffy burst into laughter. Allie grinned up at Dean as she did a little dance.

"You're my favorite uncle in the WHOLLLLLLLLE world!"

Dean smirked with satisfaction while Sam shook his head.

"Mommy, can we go to the mall and spend this now?"

Dean snorted in amusement as he glanced at Buffy.

"You've got her trained pretty well."

"The mall's closed now Allie. But we can go tomorrow after your swim lesson, okay?"

"Okay."

"Say goodbye to your Uncle Dean and Sam and then you have to get ready for bed."

Allie pouted as she clung to Dean for a long moment. When she started to cry, Dean lifted her chin up and lowered his voice, having a private conversation with her.

Sam passed an appreciative look at Buffy.

"Thanks for dinner Buffy, everything was great," he said.

"You're welcome. Thanks for accepting my invitation. Take care Sam."

"You too."

Noticing his brother still lingering inside, Sam paused under the doorway.

"I'll uh, I'll be in the car," he said.

Dean nodded at him and watched Sam lumber down the sidewalk before directing his eyes back to Buffy. Allie was trotting up the stairs, singing to herself.

"Thanks Buffy, this whole night has been….I just really needed it, you know? So thanks for coercing me."

Catching a teasing flare in his eyes, Buffy rolled her own.

"I did not coerce you," she persisted as her throat tickled with a snort.

"I should get going."

"Right."

Buffy impulsively threw her arms around Dean and held him tightly. As images of the upcoming battle formed in her mind, anxiety cloaked her throat.

"Keep fighting with every breath you have," she said passionately.

Hearing the heavy emotion in her tone, Dean felt a lump forming in his throat.

"I'll uh…I'll do my best."

Buffy pushed off her toes and gave Dean a sweet kiss on the cheek. She hooked him with an intense gaze.

"I believe in you," she said emphatically. "So believe in yourself and believe in each other and you can do anything."

After one last long look, Buffy squeezed his hand in a gesture of encouragement.

"Now go out there and kick the Devil's ass."

Taken aback by the bright flare of conviction sparking in her eyes, Dean simply looked upon her in immense awe. Almost stumbling as he stepped off the porch, he made his way back to the car, still absorbing the past few hours.

Once inside the car, Dean exhaled a deep breath as the radio played "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" by BTO. Sam took in his brother's introspective expression as he stared at Buffy's house a little longer.

"She's really something else, huh?" Sam remarked respectfully.

"Yeah, you could say that."

After another long look, Dean cranked up the radio and pulled away from the curb.

* * *

Later that evening, Buffy finished reading the last page of a story as Allie snuggled into the crook of her arm.

"The End," she said.

"Yay! I love that story. Will you read it to me again mommy?"

Buffy glanced at the time as she set the book down and got up from Allie's bed.

"It's getting late and you have swim class tomorrow morning," she said gently. "But we'll read it tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay," Allie said through a yawn, pressing her head on her pillow.

Buffy pulled the covers up to her chin and smiled lovingly.

"Did you like your surprise sweetie?"

"Uh huh! I want Uncle Dean to have dinner with us every weekend!"

"If he were here, I'm pretty sure he'd tell you he wishes he could too," Buffy said, cupping Allie's cheek. "But you know he has to work."

Allie heaved a deep sigh and moped.

"I don't want Uncle Dean to work anymore! I want him to be here and eat with us all the time and play school with me and look at the stars in my room every night and come to my recitals!"

Buffy gulped at the implications of Allie's hopes concerning Dean. Not wanting to crush her spirits, Buffy collected her words very carefully as she brushed away a lock of hair hanging over Allie's eyes.

"Oh Allie, I know how much you love him and want him to be around more."

"I want him to come to my recital," Allie moaned.

"Well, you can invite him to whatever you want but if he can't come, I don't want you to get upset okay? It doesn't mean he's too busy for you or that he doesn't care. It's just that he's got some commitments he needs to focus on."

Allie sunk with a sigh as Buffy affectionately stroked her hair.

"I can tell you though, that no matter where he is, or what he's doing, you are always in his heart. You know how happy you are to see him?"

Allie's mope lifted into a giddy grin as she nodded.

"He's just as happy to see you and I know that he misses you just as much as you miss him. He'd do anything for you."

As a wash of memories and realizations flooded through her mind, Buffy felt her eyes glistening. She kissed the top of Allie's head, batting away the apprehension rising in her system.

"I love you, good night baby," she whispered.

* * *

A few months later:

Allie sneezed in triplicate as Buffy hurriedly unstrapped her from the car seat.

"Oh goodness sweetie, are you getting a cold?"

Buffy started to zip up Allie's jacket but the little girl shook her head in protest.

"I don't want it zipped up mommy," she said, yanking the jacket off. "I'm not cold. I'm hot."

"At least keep it with you. It's a bit chilly this morning."

"No, I don't wanna…AH-CHOO!"

Buffy frowned with concern as she pulled out a package of tissues and wiped Allie's nose and hands. She planted a hand on Allie's forehead to gauge her temperature.

"It doesn't seem like you have a fever," she assessed.

"I'm not sick mommy. My nose is itchy," Allie moaned.

Allie hopped out of the backseat, clutching her bright pink back pack. Buffy clasped her hand as they hurried through the parking lot to the front entrance of the preschool.

A handful of the preschool staff huddled in front of the main gate as Buffy walked Allie to the entrance. Seeing no children on the playground, Buffy tightened her grip on Allie's hand.

Buffy met the eyes of one of the teaching assistants, Tamara.

"Buffy? Didn't you get my voicemail this morning?" Tamara asked as she broke from the huddle.

"No, I was running late and didn't have a chance to check it, what's going on?"

"We're not having sessions today, probably not tomorrow either, or the rest of the week for that matter," Tamara explained. "There's been an outbreak of swine flu."

Buffy tilted back on her heels and widened her eyes in disbelief.

"What? Swine flu? Are you serious?"

Tamara nodded, her face shaded with deep dread.

"Several parents called in early this morning to notify us that they were ill and that their illness has spread to their children and other members of their family. Because it's highly contagious, we're shutting down until further notice. Sorry for the inconvenience but we can't risk any kids or the rest of the staff coming into contact."

Buffy shook her head, her brows furrowing with heavy concern.

"No, no, I understand. We have to keep our kids safe."

Allie sneezed in triplicate again, alarming the teaching staff.

"Is she sick too?" Tamara asked anxiously.

"No, no, just um, an allergy to um, all the pollen, you know, from the rains and stuff," Buffy assured as she steered Allie toward the parking lot.

"Thanks for letting me know."

Still garnering a suspicious look from Tamara, Buffy ushered Allie away from the staff.

"Well, there's no school today or…for awhile sweetie, so we'll go back home."

Allie moped as Buffy walked her to the car.

"But I love school," she groaned.

"I know but the flu's going around, a lot of kids are sick so they can't have school today."

Allie crinkled her nose and moped deeper.

"Oh no," she cried. "Who is sick mommy?"

"I don't know the specifics but I would guess enough kids in your class to get school closed for the week. I'll make some calls to see if I can find out."

"Can we still have Arts and Crafts today?"

Absorbing the hopeful sparks in Allie's eyes, Buffy lit up with a smile.

"Absolutely sweetheart, we can do all the fun stuff you do at school today, okay?"

"Yay!"

After pulling out into the parking lot, Buffy glanced at the pharmacy down the street, where a long line of people snaked outside the entrance and around the block. A homeless man stood on the corner holding a big sign scrawled in red pen reading: SWINE FLU TODAY, JUDGEMENT DAY TOMORROW. REPENT NOW.

Waiting at the stoplight, Buffy watched the paranoia rapidly infecting the city as pedestrians used whatever they had on hand, towels, tissues, baseball caps to protect their mouths and noses from airborne germs. A wave of people scurried out of the pharmacy exit, holding their sleeves over their noses and mouths, clutching several bags of medications.

Buffy felt a clench in her stomach as her eyebrows tightened with wonder. Something strange was brewing in Cohasset and it was causing widespread panic among its citizens. A blaring car horn behind her burst her from her train of thought. Letting off the brake, Buffy glanced at the time and made a mental note to find out what was really going on.

* * *

A few hours later, Buffy took Allie for a visit with her aunt Carol before venturing back into town.

Starting at the local grocery store, Buffy squeezed through a thick web of people standing at the pharmacy counter. A grocery worker at the entrance was wearing gloves and a mask over his face as well as all the cashiers and bag clerks.

Buffy was so enthralled by the sight of one woman in line breathing through panty hose she had pried over her head that she ran right into someone.

"Oof! Sorry," she said. "Oh, Zoe."

Buffy glanced at Zoe, a handkerchief pulled over her nose while her hands were outfitted with leather gloves, despite the pleasantly warm weather outside.

"Hey Buffy."

Buffy looked over Zoe's stockpile of juice, water and various canned and microwavable items that could feed a family of ten.

"Packing for the worse?" she said with a light smile.

The humor was lost on Zoe as she displayed her heavy dread.

"We're already there," she said glumly. "Danny volunteers at the clinic two days a week. He said they had one case of swine flu on Monday morning and twenty-six by the afternoon. People DIE from swine flu!"

Buffy masked the uneasy feeling trembling in her gut as her eyes swirled with disbelief.

"That's why everyone is on red alert, this strain is really contagious. I haven't even taken Olive out to the store or the park for fear of her catching it. And don't even get me started on how often I'm wiping things down with anti-bacterial."

Zoe adjusted the handkerchief over her mouth when it started to slip off. As two women walked briskly past her, Buffy watched them clutching silk scarves to their mouths.

"Yeah, um, looks like everyone's been bit by the…germ freak bug."

"My sister's already caught it so my nephew's been staying with us until she's over it. But I'm sure it's been incubating in him so I'll end up getting it too," Zoe said flatly as she cupped her swollen belly. "I got a flu shot at my last checkup so I'm just praying it helps."

Zoe rushed off to the checkout aisle as Buffy exited the store. An older woman in a steel gray pantsuit, wearing a huge silver cross on a chain began verbally attacking every person that walked out of the store.

"He's here but you can be saved! We can all be saved!"

The woman tried to hand out fliers to exiting customers but was ignored or shoved aside.

"Don't let your souls perish in the Apocalypse! He unleashed a plague upon us but we can seek redemption."

Buffy swallowed a dry lump in her throat as dark images flashed through her mind. Pushing them back with a deep breath, Buffy strolled over to the woman and took one of her fliers. Her gut tingled when she saw the image of a skeleton on a horse.

"Horseman," she muttered very softly.

Buffy tucked the flier in her purse as she headed east toward her next destination.

* * *

The waiting room of St. Joseph's Clinic was packed with people in various stages of the flu. Buffy surveyed the patients for a long moment. When nothing struck her senses, she searched for a particular staff member. She found him examining patients in the hall, since all the rooms were occupied. Once he finished his exam, a nurse whisked the patient away.

Buffy hurriedly caught up to him as he wrote up a prescription.

"Danny, hey."

Zoe's husband looked up and showed his surprise.

"Buffy? Are you suffering symptoms too?" he asked anxiously.

Spotting a flier tacked to the lobby bulletin board, Buffy shook her head.

"Uh, no, not so far, I'm here to um, get a flu shot."

"Really? Well, I'm afraid at this point it's a little too late," Danny replied.

Buffy steered her eyes around the lobby.

"What about Allie? She okay? No preliminary symptoms? Sneezing? Coughing?"

"Um, she has the sniffles but it seems to be clearing up."

"I can write you a prescription for some pediatric medicine since the pharmacies in town are running out of stock."

"No, that's okay. I'm just keeping her at home and letting her rest."

"Good."

When a nurse called Danny away, he glanced at her apologetically.

"I have to go. You let me know if Allie's symptoms progress okay?"

"I will, thanks."

Danny took off, leaving Buffy in a hallway congested with staff and patients. When two nurses strolled past her, Buffy couldn't help but pick up on their discreet conversation. She casually followed them, pretending to be interested in the photographs of board members tacked to the wall.

"How's Patient Zero?"

"I heard they have him quarantined in a bubble."

* * *

By the time she returned home with Allie, Buffy could feel her mind swirling furiously with all she had learned. Allie let out a big yawn as her eyelids fluttered heavily.

"Naptime sweetie?"

Allie nodded. "I'm tired."

A few minutes later, Buffy settled in the living room and pinged Andrew on her laptop. The line barely rang on the other end as Andrew anxiously answered.

"Buffy!" Andrew roared, grinning wide with delight. "How are you? How may I help my lovely lady of awesomeness? I love these screen to screen chats you insisted on, much more personal than a phone call. Lovely idea."

Buffy heard Faith in the background.

"She just wants a good look at you to see if you're lying," Faith shouted.

Andrew frowned as he looked over his shoulders.

"Nuh uh. Buffy genuinely enjoys seeing my face!"

Andrew turned back to Buffy and smiled.

"What can I do for you?"

"Well, it seems that Allie and I are the only ones who haven't come down with a bad case of swine flu," Buffy cited.

"Swine flu? Oh no, so the whole town is infected?"

"Yep. One case turned into twenty-six in a matter of hours," Buffy added. "Pharmacies are getting raided, clinics are overloaded with the paranoid. I'm betting this has to do with a Horseman, Pestilence right?"

"Yes, yes, you are correct my brilliant, beautiful Buffy."

"Okay, so what do you know?"

"Not much," Andrew moaned. "There have been four towns that have reported mass cases of swine flu but so far, these towns have been spread out across the West."

"And now the midwest. Turns out patient zero is an exchange student who flew in from Vegas," Buffy replied. "Apparently, he'd had the sniffles on the airplane but by the time he sat down for dinner, he complained of severe body aches and fatigue. He's being sequestered at a special clinic downtown."

"Sounds like someone's been snooping around."

Faith appeared on screen with a knowing look for Buffy.

"I was not 'snooping', I merely overheard a conversation at the clinic."

"Oh. So you were snooping at the clinic."

Absorbing Faith's teasing smile, Buffy crossed her arms and huffed.

"What did you expect me to do when mass hysteria hits my neck of the woods?"

"No, I know B, you can't just sit around while the town goes wackadoo."

"Besides, I didn't get an evil vibe. I just felt something strange was going on. Allie's school has shut down for the week and I've kept her home. I know she's not susceptible to illness but I can't exactly let her run around an empty town."

Faith disappeared from the screen as Andrew glowed with pride.

"No, people would be super suspicious of our special darling," he conceded. "You made the absolute perfect decision."

"So the other towns, any fatalities?"

"No and I've been tracking pharmacy orders to see if there's an influx of prescription fills, see where Pesky Pestilence will strike next."

"Well, why swine flu? It seems a bit tame for a harbinger of the plague."

"We're trying to figure it out," Andrew said. "Sam and Dean are investigating an outbreak in West Nevada."

Faith popped onto the screen and shot a silly smile at her.

"The hunky hunters are on it Buffy, so no worries."

"I should be hearing back from them shortly," Andrew said.

"Okay, good, will you update me?"

"Absolutely."

* * *

_Later that evening:_

Sam scoffed in resentment as he watched Dean and Crowley leaving him behind. He choked down his disgust with a long swig of whiskey as his cell phone buzzed on the table. Catching a glint of the tail lights through the window, Sam reluctantly picked up his phone.

"What?" he grunted in annoyance.

"Hello brother Samuel," Andrew replied cheerfully. "I'm just checking in, we were to rendezvous via phone a half hour ago."

"Andrew, hey, um, sorry, I've had a bad night."

"Oh no, I'm very sorry to hear that. What can I do? Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really, no," Sam grumbled.

"Are you sure? I'm a good listener and you know no matter what, I wouldn't judge you," Andrew said sincerely.

"It's fine Andrew….it's just…."

Sam paused to take another long swig of whiskey. Growing more lucid, Sam exhaled a deep breath.

"My brother is being an idiot."

"I could've told you that a long time ago," Andrew grumbled softly.

"What?"

"Nothing, nothing. Are you sure you don't want to bend my ear?"

"No, I mean, yeah. I don't really have time to talk about it."

"Oh, okay, well just know, I'm always here for you if you need me," Andrew said. "On to business. I thought I'd let you know that I spoke with Buffy a little while ago and she informed me that Cohasset has been hit with a swine flu outbreak. Apparently patient zero was a student on break from LVNU, visiting his folks."

"Are Buffy and Allie okay?"

"Allie's got a little case of the sniffles but she'll be fine. So, did you guys find anything?"

Sam mustered enough sobriety to update Andrew. Five minutes later, he sat down at the table. Fumbling for his phone, he dialed Bobby.

After ranting to Bobby for a few minutes about Dean's asinine agreement with Crowley, Sam shuffled through a pile of mythology books on the table.

Several pieces of paper flitted out from under the pile and drifted to the floor. Sam swept them up and curiously glanced at the first sheet of paper to see one of Allie's drawings.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure Sam, what's up?"

"How much do you remember about when that black eye took up shop in your body?"

"More than I'd like to," Bobby answered gruffly.

"Well, you should have killed Dean but you got control over your body."

"Yeah but just so I could poke myself in the gut."

Sam glanced over Allie's drawing of three figures in front of a house, the lake, the sun and bright yellow flowers in the background. In Allie's handwriting, she had written the names of the figures: _Me, mommy, Uncle Dean. We are at the lake having a picnic. Mommy made sandwiches. Me and Uncle Dean like sandwiches! _

Sam looked at the next drawing of a figure in a car under a rain cloud and two figures in the distance, holding hands outside of a house. The drawing was personalized yet again with Allie's handwriting: _Uncle Dean is sad. He comes to see me and mommy. Then he is not sad anymore. I love you Uncle Dean. Love Allie._

In the next drawing, Sam saw his name under a figure with shoulder length hair, holding a bowl and fork. Beside him was Dean with a hamburger in his hand. Allie had written the following caption: _Uncle Dean loves hamburgers! His brother Sam eats salad. They have to work far away. I hope it is warm where they are and that they come see me again._

Thinking back to the dinner with Buffy, Sam reflected upon the complete change in his brother's demeanor whenever he was around Allie and the former Slayer. He had realized fairly quickly why Dean had gone to such great lengths to protect them and why he had driven so far for such short visits.

In the few weeks since they had left Buffy's house, Sam had noticed the significant optimism creeping back into his brother. He gathered it was most likely due to Buffy's frequent calls to check in on Dean. While Dean had tried to keep them impersonal and short, a majority of the time the conversation drifted past an hour. Sam could only guess what they talked about since Dean always left the room whenever she called.

Sam put the drawings back down on the table as a thought solidified in his mind.

"How exactly did you do to get it back?"

"Where are you going with this?"

He picked up the bottle of whiskey and took a long swig.

"Best case scenario here, we get that cage open okay? What's next? We lure the Devil there somehow and then...what, just push him in?"

"Something like that, I guess."

"How about this – how about you lure him to the opening and I'll take the leap? You were able to take control in a single moment and so can I."

After a long silence, Bobby growled into the phone.

"You frickin' crazy sonabitches! What the hell are you trying to do to me!"

"Just think about..."

"First your brother wanted to fall on the damn sword and now you want a turn? I'm so sick of you two bastards swapping lives!" Bobby snarled.

"That's not what I'm doing," Sam persisted. "I won't go through with this if you and Dean aren't on board. I'm just trying to give us a better chance at tacking the Devil back to his cage."

"Well, this ain't the way to go," Bobby chided. "I had a million in one shot against some crap for brains demon. You think taking the reigns from Satan is gonna be a cake walk?"

"I know," Sam said with a sigh of acceptance. "But I can do this. I can fight him."

"No, you can't!" Bobby snapped. "He will find every weakness to break you down! All that grief and anger and fear you got shoved down inside you, he's gonna take it and have a goddamn party! So just how the hell do you think you're gonna beat him?"

Sam glanced down at Allie's drawing of her, Buffy and Dean at the lake and let out a deep breath.

"I don't know. I just know I have to," he said resolutely.

Before Bobby could lash out with anymore protests, Sam hung up the phone. Downing the rest of the whiskey, Sam began formulating his plan against Lucifer.


End file.
